1 Corinthians 4:6 – “For
God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our
hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ.”
God has
shined a light in the darkest reaches of the heart of a follower of Jesus. The
God of light therefore acts quite differently from the god of this world, who
blinds people, flings them into utter darkness, and hardens their hearts (4:4).
Paul alludes here to the creation account in Gen 1:3–4: “God said, ‘Let there
be light.’ ”
Paul is
teaching us that the same God who created light in the midst of chaos at the
beginning of creation beamed that supernatural light into the heart of the
believer.
The image of light shining
reminds most interpreters of the account of Paul’s own conversion experience
recorded in Acts. In Acts it is described as a light from heaven and connected
with glory and “brilliance” of Jesus. Acts does not portray this event as some
internal awakening but as an external reality. What Paul makes
clear here is that the external reality became an internal reality. Paul was no
longer defined by his sin, he is defined by his relationship with the light.
God offered new possibilities. We have new opportunities as well.
The new possibilities are the
strength discovered in Christ’s love. A
Little girl was holding two apples; Her mother asked for one. The girl quickly
bit one apple and then bit into the other… the mother was disappointed … Then
the girl handed one to her mother and said, “Here this is the sweeter one.”
My friends, the strength we gain
in knowing the bitter taste of the world verses the sweet and everlasting taste
of God’s strength is what we are showing those around us.
We show the love of Jesus when we
show our strength discovered in Jesus.
You know I love ya, Don
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