WALK IN THE LIGHT—
From the dawn into the full sunlight!

 

“Come and let us walk in the light of the Lord”
(Isaiah 2:5).

 

Blessed Hanukkah season to those who love to celebrate Hanukkah!

 

This evening is the beginning of Hanukkah, which is known in the New Testament as the Feast of Dedication. Hanukkah is not one of the feasts of the Lord, but was instituted during the time of the Maccabees who won the victory over the Syrian Greeks and re-occupied the Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BC. The Talmud records the story that when they captured the Temple, they only had one day’s supply of oil, but the oil miraculously burned for eight days until fresh oil could be obtained. It is also called the Festival of Lights and is celebrated by lighting the eight-branched menorah for eight days. John 10:22-23 records that Jesus also celebrated this feast.

 

Because Hanukkah speaks of light, I thought I would share with you a few thoughts about light. God is light and He wants us to walk in His light.

 

Created

We were created to walk in light. The light God wants us to walk in is the Hebrew word “or” and it means “illumination, brightness, daylight, sunlight.”

 

Called

We have been called into light. 1 Peter 2:9 admonishes us to “show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous (amazing and wonderful) light.”

 

When we are born again into the kingdom of God, we are translated out of the kingdom of darkness into a kingdom of wonderful light. The darkness flees. Deception disintegrates. We leave the path of destruction behind to pursue a life of light. The light is amazing. But although it is such a contrast from the darkness we have lived in, we do not always experience the fullness of His light immediately. We come out of darkness into the light of dawn.

 

Oh how I love the dawn. I love to look out of the window each morning and watch the dawn appearing. I can go to bed tired but wake up refreshed at the light of dawn. I can go to bed with a sore throat and wake up healed at the light of dawn. The dawn awakens the excitement of a new day and all its possibilities. It reminds us of God’s faithfulness that day and night will not cease. But the dawn is not the full light. There is more. It lightens more and more as the hours go by.

 

In the same way, we should experience more and more of God’s light. Our Christian life is to be a “more and more” walk.As we seek after God, He continues to expose more deceptions and dark places in our lives. As we repent of them and continue seeking, He leads us into more light. As we live in His Word, He pours more and more of the light of His truth into our darkened minds. Little by little, we walk more and more in the light of the Lord until it is like the midday sun.

I have always loved Proverbs 4:18 RSV which says, “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

David confessed, “That I might live, ever mindful of God, in the sunshine of life.” (Psalm 56:13, Moffat) Isn’t that wonderful? Don’t be content to live in the light of the dawn, as wonderful as that is. There is more! Live in the full midday sun of God’s marvelous light.

Commissioned

We have also been commissioned to shine our light. Jesus is the light of the world and amazingly He tells us that we also are the light of the world. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

 

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8)

 

May we live “more and more” in the light of God and shining this light to those around us.

 

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
www.aboverubies.org

 

PRAYER:

 

“Oh God, I thank you that I was destined to live in light. Please expose every bit of darkness in my life so that I can walk in the fullness of your marvelous light. Help me to walk in the light with my husband, my family and my brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me to shine my light to all I meet today. Amen.”

 

AFFIRMATION:

 

I am a light-shiner to the world because the Light of the world lives in me!