this picture was taken on a cloudy morning in fort worth when the sun was obscured by the clouds.
this pic is a great reminder to me that Jesus is the light of the world.
One of the greatest things that God has given humans is the ability to see beauty in the world around us. I have never noticed my dog stop and stare at the beauty of a forest or the incredible colors of a sunset, but these things have the ability to stop me in my tracks in wonder and awe. This website is my attempt to capture some of the beauty and glory of an indescribable God by capturing reflections of Him that I see in His creation.
this picture was taken on a cloudy morning in fort worth when the sun was obscured by the clouds.
this pic is a great reminder to me that Jesus is the light of the world.
Also amazing, Dave,is that Jesus himself said "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). How can that be? Do you suppose He means us to reflect His glory in this world?
Joel
joel, you've made me think, so get ready for a marathon novel sized repsonse.
personally, i think we reflect the light found in Jesus. ephesians 5:8-9 says, "for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth). based upon this verse, God changes who we are, and then it appears we are two things, 1) we are light and 2) we are children of light.
it almost becomes a battle of semantics at this point. in a Bible study a couple of months ago, a statement was made that said something to the effect of "by adopting us into His family, God invites us to be a part of the trinity." well, this sparked a debate because we are not part of the trinity. but we call the trinity, Holy Ghost, Father, and Son. does this mean that we are on equal footing with Jesus since we are now sons and daughters too? (romans 8:15-17 talks about this further and even calls us "co-heirs with Christ"). well, of course we are not a part of the triune nature of God, but then how do you explain this? i guess this is just a case of human logic trying to explain God, and He is waaaayyyy beyond what human logic can explain. no matter if we are the light or just reflecting the light, it is obvious that we cannot be light to the world without God's help.
one of my favorite things about the teachings of Jesus is the beautiful imagery He used. when He talks about being the "light of the world," this seems like an impossible task. how can i, a created being, reflect the glory of the one who created me? this seems impossible.
then Jesus follows that statement with this one: "a city on a hill cannot be hidden," and it begins to click with me. verse 16 says to let your light shine before others "that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." our good deeds are what draw people to Jesus.
while Jesus Himself is the light (john 1:4,8,9), we reflect the light through our actions. this is why God wants us out in the world instead of being sequestered in our own little world of home and church. a light shining nowhere doesn't do anyone any good. now a bright light on a hill is something different. i think there's a good reason why our street lights are 15 feet up in the air instead of mounted on the curbs of the street.
i like what matthew henry says about this:
Our light must shine, by doing such good works as men may see. What is between God and our souls, must be kept to ourselves; but that which is of itself open to the sight of men, we must study to make suitable to our profession, and praiseworthy. We must aim at the glory of God.
wow, a 510 word response. it's no wonder it's after midnight; i'm going to bed (if i can get my brain to shut off).