I find it so beautiful that when God first created earth, for His presence to dwell in it, His light had to shine forth. According to Psalm 11:4, God’s holy temple, His sanctuary, dwells in heaven. But, on earth, at the beginning of creation, darkness was present instead.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from darkness.
Genesis 1:3-5 (ESV)
At the beginning of creation in Genesis 1, God physically manifested His light in many ways for the world. He created the sun and the moon to separate the day from the night and bring light to the world, and He created the stars in the night sky to serve as additional lights for the earth. From the very beginning, God has been the only source of light in the world. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we become an extension of what He’s spoken so we become an extension of His light.
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 (NIV)
All the light in creation is through Jesus, this is why Christians are asked by Him to bear witness of His light as John The Baptist did. Creation is first empowered by God’s light. In a way, it’s selfish to follow Jesus and refuse to spread forth His light.
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”
John 1: 4-10 (ESV)
Many do not know where the light of the world comes from and as Christians, we have a duty to shine forth our light so that others can be illuminated by it and come to know Christ and receive their salvation. Shining forth our light also encourages others in the faith. Like the sun, the moon, and the stars honor their duty to shine God’s light and preserve the earth, so should we. The light of God that we carry is what helps sustain the earth. God doesn’t need us to, but He uses us to, because since the beginning of mankind, God has always desired to partner with His creation and have a relationship with us (John 3:16). Matthew, Luke, and Mark directly write this command to spread God’s light in their gospel books. Matthew puts it this way:
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV)
In my personal journey, what kept drawing me to God was witnessing His light. I couldn’t deny how wonderful it was to see His light shine forth on His good and loving nature when it came to the world and my life. When I would read the bible and it would open my eyes to Him, there it was, His light shining forth. When I would pray and He would answer me, there it was, His light shining forth. When others shared their testimonies of what God had done for them, there it was, His light shining forth. When I went to church and the sermon resonated with something I was going through and I found hope and strength because of it, there it was, His light shining forth. When I spoke to a Christian and I was met with love and compassion and grace, there it was, God’s light shining forth.
Though no human being is perfect, and at times we stumble as Christians, it’s necessary for the world to see how powerful Christians shining their light can be. A power that in the smallest of sense can bring a smile to someone. And, in the greatest of sense, this power can help lead a soul towards eternal life. The power of God’s light is immeasurable. How wonderful it is that He’s asked us to partake in it? Shining our light before the world doesn’t have to look extraordinary. It just means reflecting His nature and shining it before the world (Galatians 5:22-23). It can also mean sharing our testimonies of the good and transformation He’s done in our lives for our good (Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11). Though God does not need us to bear His light, He uses us to draw many to Him.
“This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV)
Sincerely,
Anne
Comment below: when did you witness God’s light and how did it transform or encourage you?
Daughter in Waiting Ministry 
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