There is no doubt in my mind that God's people carry a sacred light within them that has eternal, supernatural significance. Until Jesus Christ came into this world, men groped in darkness. They staggered with blindness. Job said, "They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night" (Job 5:14). Not only did Christ come to brighten our world, he came to lift the cloud of darkness that held men in bondage, hovering over mankind like an inescapable oppression.
According to St. Peter, we have been called out of darkness into Christ's marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). Literally, the phrase "called out" means to exit, to become separated from, or to close the connection. When Christ came into this world, the light of God enlightened us "to" the darkness that held us in its grip. Darkness prevented us from seeing the true purpose for our existence. Paul said, "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:4-5). This light was meant to snatch us out of a life destined with obscurity. It was to unveil to us the immeasurable goodness of God and the greatness that he purposed in Christ for all of mankind. Not only has every believer been pulled out of this darkness, but we have available a light now "in" us that is meant to forever close the connection we had with a darkened mind and intellect and a darkened destiny.
Peter called it a marvelous light. The word "marvelous" means extraordinary, far surpassing, beyond human comprehension, admirable, excellent, and surprisingly wonderful. The word "light" means a quality of brilliance, an emanation of purity and soundness. Think of what you have been called into! This light is so wonderful that its brilliance of purity and soundness is incomprehensible. No wonder the enemy hates the light, and why his sole aim is to do whatever possible to keep men's mind blinded to the light of the glorious gospel.
It is so vital that you and I realize the magnitude of this light. There are things that heaven wants to reveal - things that can lift us up to a new level of awareness in our walk with God that can only come to us through this marvelous light. When Paul emphatically stated "I will come to visions and revelations in the Lord," it was because he knew after seeing the finished work of Christ in man that it was his destiny (and the destiny of every believer) to have the light of heaven shine within our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
It is no secret that the early church moved in revelation. There is no question as to the fact that heaven itself was open to them, and they knew things and saw things beyond their natural abilities. In Peter's second epistle, he said, "We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of his majesty" (2 Pet. 1:16). In other words, "We saw the light of heaven as it illuminated his entire being." And, "We saw the honor and glory of God as it came to rest upon him." This was no figment of their imagination. They saw the light as it was unveiled before their very eyes!
This marvelous light has come to dwell within us, and there are ways of abiding in Christ where we are taught how to connect to it. As real and as wonderful as it is, having the benefits of this light is not automatic. If we are not careful we can lose the significance it holds within us and miss out on the marvel of it all. In the hour we are living, this is a very real and grave concern. Christians, who are called to be the light of the world, can choose to ignore the light. They can fail to abide in the light. They can even lose sight of the light and eventually become as wandering stars. Their paths can become darkened through sin and disobedience. Their minds can become clouded through religion and miss the importance of being the light of the world. In these so desperate and changing times, may we turn to the light! May we become true followers of Jesus and live in the light of God!
