Perhaps it may turn out a sang,
Perhaps turn out a sermon.

-- R. Burns Epistle to a Young Friend

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

The Dawn Line



For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. --1 Thessalonians 5:5


We have all seen those pictures of Earth as some point on the globe moves from looking toward the Sun and plunges into the darkness of the planet’s long shadow.  As long as we are here in this life, like the turning world on which we reside, we, too, will move between light and darkness, joy and sorrow, even hope and despair, for we are creatures ruled in part by the physical laws of the cosmos. 

For our physical bodies, the darkness of night, rest and sleep are as vital as the light of the Sun.  But for our souls, when we have found the Light of life, there is no more darkness.  The light of Christ dispels the shades of sin and past mistakes, and it chases all the shadows from our hearts. 

That line between light and darkness is the real line of demarcation in the affairs of the world.  It is not left or right, communist or capitalist, hawk or dove, but the children of light versus the children of this world and its darkness (Luke 16:8).  Those who are of the darkness practice deceit, but they mainly deceive themselves.  They believe that the murkiness of their twilight world conceals their motives and stratagems, not realizing that God’s vision sees in midnight as at noon. 

It is not my job to remake the world.  I am to be light.  Take a lamp into a dark and unused room.  The light falls on what is there.  It does not make the room orderly or disorderly, clean or dusty, it simply exposes the true situation.  The idea is to use the lamp to enable one to get rid of the grime and set things in their proper order.  Some, though, blame the light for the room’s state and say that it should be put out.  Sometimes they put it out.  Yet the world still turns, and the day will dawn.      

7 comments:

mushroom said...

I'm looking at a busy couple of weeks. Posting may be sporadic.

John Lien said...

"The light of Christ dispels the shades of sin and past mistakes, and it chases all the shadows from our hearts."

I was busy in the shop on Sunday and from seemingly nowhere memories of kids I had not thought about for 40+ years pop up. But it was how I was a bully and a jerk to those kids. I wish I could apologize to them now. I suppose this is a good thing. Kinda hurts.

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

Thanks Mush, I need to be reminded to focus on receiving the light of Christ. It radiates truth, love, beauty n' Goodness. :)

John, the main thing is you ain't that guy anymore since you embrace the Light. However, I know what you mean. I think, when God's light ignites our concience we can't help but wanna right the wrongs we have done. Of course, many times we can't, and that sure helps to humble me. And pray.

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

We'll be waitin' Dwaine. It gets hectic sometimes. I pray for God to give you strength, if you have need of it.

John Lien said...

Yes, what Ben said about praying for strength for you, Mush.

"I think, when God's light ignites our conscience we can't help but wanna right the wrongs we have done. Of course, many times we can't, and that sure helps to humble me. And pray. "

Ben, well said.

The light, it can also have a burning/purging quality as well. A concept, which I'm pretty sure, Mush planted in my mind about a year or so ago.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this, and especially the last paragraph. As someone converting from rah-rah, Western, watered-down Protestantism to Eastern Orthodoxy, I need constant reminders that we are called to be light, not to change the world for the "better."

mushroom said...

I really appreciate it. It was an interesting week, and some really positive things happened. Your prayers helped.