Humans generally take most constant things in life for granted. Things like the air we breathe, the sun, the moon, the stars, etc. We assume the sun will rise again tomorrow morning and it will get dark again later that evening. Seldom do we stop to think that our God created all these constants. We humans create mostly junk, like automobiles, houses, cell phones, “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy” (you know, the hallowed 7:00 p.m. hour for us older folks).
Most assuredly the things humans have devised will perish along with this earth—but some things will continue for eternity. Light is one of those eternal things. The importance of it is revealed by the fact that it is the first thing created after heaven and earth (Genesis 1:3). God knew that He could vanquish darkness by the introduction of light. There are all kinds of spiritual applications for darkness against light in scripture:
- Ephesians 5:8 says, “…ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light”, speaking of our position as born-again believers.
- I Thessalonians 5:5 speaks of us as “children of light […] we are not of darkness” indicating the change in our relationship with God.
- John 8:12 records Christ declaring, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” Clearly, true light expunges the darkness of an unregenerate soul.
Hopefully, you have availed yourself of the light source in this dark world. With political unrest, licentiousness (lewd behavior) abounding, and the abandonment of simple decency in human interactions, young married couples face a monumental task in raising their children. Bluegrass Baptist Church has been blessed with many young couples who have embraced the “Light” (Jesus himself) and it brings great joy to Jan and I as we attend services alongside them. May we all continuously yield ourselves to God and bathe in the glorious Light of our Savior.
Here are a few interesting facts about lesser lights (sunlight/electricity). Have you ever wondered why we can talk on a phone to someone on the other side of the world and receive a seemingly immediate response? It’s because sunlight (electromagnetic energy/electricity) travels at 700 million miles per hour. (Approximately the speed some people like to travel in the left lane of interstate 75). It takes light 8.3 seconds to reach earth from the nearest star, our sun, 93,000,000 miles away. The entire universe created by God is so vast that the distance between stars is calculated in light years (how far light travels in one year), not in mere miles per hour. In a full year, light travels 6 trillion miles and the next nearest star after the sun is 4.2 light years away. I’m afraid to try and calculate how far that is on my iPhone because it might melt!
If you have stuck with me this far, here is the intent of my rambling on about these scientific facts: In 1Corinthians 15:52 we learn that when Christ returns, we will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye”. This “twinkling” is the reflection of light on the human eyeball—light that travels at 700 million miles per hour! If you’re not ready when Christ returns it will be physically impossible at that point to make the decision to receive him as your Savior. If you have not already done so, act now, before it’s too late!