As I like to say, light is a good thing. Being in the window cleaning business, I am all about adding light to life! No matter how many times I see dirty windows come clean, it always amazes and refreshes my soul to experience the resulting pure light coming through. As a case in point, appreciate the difference in the two windows below:
The left window makes me go "ahhhh". Seeing the world as it really is!
Of course, there is a point at which too much light becomes counter productive, even painful or harmful. Direct light makes us turn our eyes away, and cancels our ability to see anything in the direction of the light. I kind of captured what I mean in the picture below:
Of course, there is a point at which too much light becomes counter productive, even painful or harmful. Direct light makes us turn our eyes away, and cancels our ability to see anything in the direction of the light. I kind of captured what I mean in the picture below:
The view of the trees and sky blurs to the far right to point where all you see is white light. I often find houses with tinted glass facing the east and west because as glorious as the views are from some of those houses, when the sun is bearing down on those windows in the morning and the afternoon the tinting is the only thing that makes the view from those windows tolerable!
As I thought about this aspect of light, I couldn't help but think of the description of God as light in the scriptures, and of the bright light that often accompanied the appearances of angels or visions of God. For example, in Paul's experience on the road to Damascus, the presence of Jesus was encompassed in a bright light that made the men turn away, and indeed blinded Paul. I think of God's characteristic of purity, that the concentration and intensity of the light that comes form him is too much for us to absorb. I am reminded of God leading the Israelites out if Egypt from a distance...out in front, as if truly being in their midst would be too intense of a presence. He met with Moses alone in the "tent of meeting" and Moses emerged glowing with light...the light from God made him glow! Even Jesus, in his transfiguration, became a figure of bright light, and his disciples were afraid.
I'm sure this is why Jesus came to us the way he did, as a helpless baby dependent on the care of his parents. Had he come in all his glory the pure, awesome truth of God's person would overload our senses, blind us if you will, to who he really is. We would have missed all the subtleties of God's love and desire to know us. His desire for us to engage him...to be approachable, so he might be known. Jesus' human body was the "tinting" we needed so we could actually appreciate the truth and perceptible light that is God. His light illumined the needs of others as much at is drew attention to himself...it revealed a life that demonstrated God's love for all of us.
Sometimes I think we get caught up in the idea and concept of God's immeasurable glory and power, and let that be the focus of our worship or honor of him. He is immeasurably glorious and powerful. He is so glorious and powerful that we can get lost and confused trying to speak of him, or appreciate him...he's too much to truly grasp, it all blurs to white. But he elected to reveal his power through the veil of a weak, human body, through faithful actions that can be followed by the likes of you and me. We too, can convey his light...not perfectly or purely, but with good effect, allowing others to experience a more colorful, clear life. That kind of makes me go "ahhhh" too.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (John 1:4)
Blessings...
Greg
As I thought about this aspect of light, I couldn't help but think of the description of God as light in the scriptures, and of the bright light that often accompanied the appearances of angels or visions of God. For example, in Paul's experience on the road to Damascus, the presence of Jesus was encompassed in a bright light that made the men turn away, and indeed blinded Paul. I think of God's characteristic of purity, that the concentration and intensity of the light that comes form him is too much for us to absorb. I am reminded of God leading the Israelites out if Egypt from a distance...out in front, as if truly being in their midst would be too intense of a presence. He met with Moses alone in the "tent of meeting" and Moses emerged glowing with light...the light from God made him glow! Even Jesus, in his transfiguration, became a figure of bright light, and his disciples were afraid.
I'm sure this is why Jesus came to us the way he did, as a helpless baby dependent on the care of his parents. Had he come in all his glory the pure, awesome truth of God's person would overload our senses, blind us if you will, to who he really is. We would have missed all the subtleties of God's love and desire to know us. His desire for us to engage him...to be approachable, so he might be known. Jesus' human body was the "tinting" we needed so we could actually appreciate the truth and perceptible light that is God. His light illumined the needs of others as much at is drew attention to himself...it revealed a life that demonstrated God's love for all of us.
Sometimes I think we get caught up in the idea and concept of God's immeasurable glory and power, and let that be the focus of our worship or honor of him. He is immeasurably glorious and powerful. He is so glorious and powerful that we can get lost and confused trying to speak of him, or appreciate him...he's too much to truly grasp, it all blurs to white. But he elected to reveal his power through the veil of a weak, human body, through faithful actions that can be followed by the likes of you and me. We too, can convey his light...not perfectly or purely, but with good effect, allowing others to experience a more colorful, clear life. That kind of makes me go "ahhhh" too.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (John 1:4)
Blessings...
Greg