Image a photo by Eradio Valverde of Corpus Christi Bay
Everything is Better in the Light
From Ephesians 5: 8 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Once our calendar was labeled either B.C. and A. D. to signify the importance of the Christ event; B. C. for "Before Christ," and A. D. for "Anno Domini" which is "Year of Our Lord." Interestingly enough that could apply to our spiritual lives. Paul writes that once we lived in darkness because we did not know Jesus nor posses the hope and strength that comes in that knowledge. And in keeping with the Gospel lesson for this week, the physical challenge of the sight impaired is great, as is living without Christ. Before Christ, anything was seen as good and acceptable, but once we knew the power of love and the mercy shown us by God's forgiveness, we know that we should live as those who have been forgiven or as Paul says, "Children of light." Paul knows that the fruit of light can be "found in all that is good and right and true." Walking daily with the Lord and sharing and listening to Him reveals to us what is pleasing to God. Of course we will be tempted to go back to where we were and how we used to live, but we know these things are unfruitful and can be considered works of darkness; shameful, says Paul, to even speak of these things done in secret. Ours should be a life blessed by the sunshine of God, with all things visible, pleasing to God, and with nothing to hide.
And because we now have such a life, it should be reflected in our eagerness to face the day. With Jesus on our side, what can possibly come against us that we cannot overcome and defeat? A life lived away from Christ was leading to certain death thus the quote that closes this passage, "Sleeper awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." And He will.
Dear friend, turn over to Christ Jesus those things that tend to discourage or depress you. We cannot live sluggish, tired lives because of what our mind perceives as greater than us. With Christ Jesus living in your heart the blessing will also be in your thoughts about how best to live life and how to overcome all challenges and worries. "Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world." Make that part of your prayer life today and see and experience the difference.
PRAYER: Loving and Awesome God, great are You and great is Your Son Jesus Christ. The light He brought is the light of love and hope. Let that light shine on me. Grant me vision beyond what my eyes can see to that which is Yours and available to me. I claim the words from 1 John 4, "Greater are You that is in me, that the one who is in the world." Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
