Christ Our All, Our Light

“Now we have seen Christ is our Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Leader, or Way. But He is more than all that: He is our Light.”

~Dwight L. Moody (1837–1899)

It seems as we live our lives, we, in our sinfulness, are duped into many forms of darkness. If it was good enough for the apostle Paul—referring specifically to Romans chapter 7—it is good enough for us. We are tested by many cloudy skies. When we are truthful, darkness fills many of our days, or part thereof.

But in all our religiosity, in the grandness of our spiritual spectre, there is a shadow of light we need to be aware of. Not all light is Christ-Light. Sometimes we may ascend ourselves. Sometimes we may go too far and be blinded by the light in our darkness.

Such naivety takes the Christ-Light for granted. From this ‘tradition’ comes the false teacher.

So there are two problems. Where there is both insufficient and excess Light. Both are of the devil. Our spiritual challenge is to discern the Christ-Light from the darkness of the other two.

Where There Is Too Much Light

Too much light is a fabrication of Satan and we are blinded by light in our darkness.

This is a problem of blindness to the point of a certain self-righteousness. The naïve ascendant flatters themselves in their outlook and capability. We may be too trusting, and, worst of all, of ourselves. It does us no harm to distrust our own motives. The reasons we do things are so often flawed. This is nothing to get down about, apart from developing a common realism—we ought to be honest before God.

Probably a more prevalent problem is the lack of Light in our lives.

Where There Is Not Enough Light

Too little light is also the work of Satan in this world, to dissuade us from viewing all matters in life, even the dark bits, within the realm of plain Christ-Light. This is when there is no denial of truth, but where the light of life is free to shine.

It is too easy to see ourselves as dark figures in a dark world. Such an outlook shuts out the Christ-Light, refusing the Holy Spirit’s access into our lives.

It is our role to be salt and light in the world. We can only be so if we are fed from Christ’s Light itself. May it be that we ruminate over God’s Word, pray, and sing spiritual songs and hymns often, to remind us of the glorious possession we have!

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Perspective is crucial in the spiritual life. Two great threats are spiritual naivety and spiritual darkness. When we make room for Christ’s Light we see more truthfully.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.