Looking at the Light - First15 - November 9
Weekly Overview:
We live in the reality that there is both light and darkness around us at all times. This world has both good and evil, right and wrong. As believers we must grow in both our acceptance of this reality and our pursuit of the light. We must allow God to mold and shape us into those who rid ourselves of any darkness, become fully known to God, and allow his light to transform us into reflections of his Son. May the Lord open our eyes to see the glorious light before us this week.
Scripture:“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.” Luke 11:34
Devotional:
We live in a world filled with darkness of all forms. On any given day we are inundated with temptation after temptation, lie after lie, darkness after darkness. But in the person of Jesus a powerful hope has entered into the story of humanity. Matthew 4:16 says, “The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” You and I now have the choice to fill our lives with the light of God. We’re delivered from a life marked by darkness and set free to fill ourselves with the things of God.
But still, there is a choice set before us. The light has come, but we have a real enemy trying to draw us back to the darkness at every turn. It’s for this reason Jesus said in Luke 11:34, “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.” You and I must choose to look to the light if we want to be spiritually healthy and full of light. We must look to the light if we want the abundant life God offers us throughout every season of this life.
Paul writes in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” I pray that God would train us to look upon only that which will fill us with more of him. I pray that he would train our minds to think about only that which will truly satisfy the deep desires of our hearts.
Darkness is often only tempting to look at because we have yet to experience the immense satisfaction found in the light. So often God is characterized as a taskmaster out to ruin all the fun. And so often our church services, speech, and lives depict our Father as anyone but a fun, satisfying God. But if we will take some time to trust the truth of Scripture and get to know our heavenly Father as a friend, we will discover a wellspring of life to which no darkness could ever compare. The pleasures of the enemy are nothing but a shadow of the satisfaction we have in the light. Lust, adultery, earthly glory, the opinion of man, and pride in possessions are nothing compared to total, open, and eternal relationship with a good, near, and loving God.
Look to the light today for all you need. Cultivate a hunger and thirst for the things of God that can only be quenched in relationship with your heavenly Father. Run to God with your temptations, needs, and desires and ask him to lead you to satisfaction. And open your heart to him today that you might receive a wealth of love, purpose, joy, affection, and enjoyment from the only true source of life in this earth.
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on the importance of looking to the light. Allow Scripture to fill you with a desire to spend your day out of the darkness and in the light.
“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.” Luke 11:34
“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:6-7
2. What darkness do you normally look to? Where are you running to satisfy desires that should be met in God? In what ways do you not trust that he will satisfy the needs of your heart?
3. Go to God with whatever needs you have and ask him to reveal the ways in which he wants to satisfy them. Take time to wait on him, press into his heart, and receive the wealth of his affections for you.
“Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.” Isaiah 60:20
At times, the desires we feel are wrong desires that God cannot satisfy. However, these wrong desires are always indicative of a deeper desire that God does want to satisfy. Lust and adultery are desires indicative of a need to be loved, liked, seen as beautiful or handsome, or simply enjoyed. Wrongful ambition and glory-seeking are wrong desires indicative of a true need to have passion and make a deep and lasting impact on the earth. The temptations of the enemy and satisfactions we find in darkness are mere shadows compared to the true satisfaction available in God. Discover the root of your wrongful desires. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the true needs within your heart and to guide you to a lifestyle of fulfillment in God. May your eyes be wholly focused on the light today as you seek fulfillment in your heavenly Father.
Extended Reading: Isaiah 60
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