Psalms 119:129-130

The Bible is chock-full of references to light. From the beginning of Genesis of all the way through, God uses light as a means of describing and identifying Himself to us. The Apostle John sums it up in 1 John 1: 5 “God is light.” Jesus pointed out one fundamental characteristic of light in the “sermon on the mount.” Light shines forth, reveals, draws attention to, illuminates, and focuses attention. When a play begins the house lights are turned down and often one very strong light is centered on the stage calling all attention to just one person. The Bible is such a spotlight, it draws attention to one character – it shines intensely on Jesus Christ. As thoroughly saturated as the Bible is in its references to light, so thoroughly does it call our attention to its main subject – God. God never stops calling attention to Himself all throughout His Word.

It astounds me how blind mankind is to such a powerful spotlight. We either disregarded the light altogether, or perhaps worse, we walk in its light but pay little attention to its source and its chief purpose. How often I have read the Bible looking for help in how to live my life, how to be a better husband, how to be more effective in ministry, how to plant a church – all very good things to do – yet so often I read past the words that strongly and constantly shine on the chief subject. Instead my attention rest on subjects which are consequential to the main subject, not the main subject itself. I fear that the frequency and constancy of phrases like “in Christ,” “grace of God,” “light of knowledge,” “glory of God,” “thanks be to God,” “of the Spirit,” “glory that surpasses,” or “from the Lord,” (because they are sprinkled through almost every sentence and passage of scripture) become like furniture in a room that we sit down on and rest things on in order to do something else. And yet these words and phrases are the chief subject – all other subjects hang on them. God should always be utmost in view, when we read the Word. Secondary subjects can only be truly understood when they are viewed in reference to the main subject. This is why 2 Corinthians 4: 6 has become one of my favorite verses. This verse contains no secondary subjects. It is a string of God-centered phrases, a series of spotlights all shining directly on Christ. “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ is the one who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

God has shown in our hearts to give us this wonderful light. Yet we can still miss it or be blinded to it. This is why God has said to us “The unfolding of Thy words gives light.” God has given us a means by which we can continue to be filled with the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. It is the means of “unfolding” His words. The act and effort of “unfolding” gives off the light we need to see the glory of God. When we take time to unfold it, it shines, and it as it shines light is cast on the subject and we see more clearly the object of it all – the face of Christ.

Oh soul I beseech you – be unfolding the word of God. Not as an end in itself, but that by unfolding it, light will shine forth, displaying for you more brightly, more clearly the face of Christ.