The Gift of Light

This blog’s Scripture  passage reference: Psalm 119:126-129

I have a beautiful painting on the wall above my desk. The subject matter and artistry on the front of the picture make it beautiful, but the writing on the back of the picture is what makes it special. It truly was a gift of light. 

I am involved with an organization that facilitates weekends of spiritual retreat. The weekends are seventy two hours completely away from the hustle and bustle of the world…. no clocks, no phones, a schedule that moves pretty fast, yet feels so slow. I was the director of one of these weekends quite a few years ago. This picture on my wall was a gift from the team that worked that weekend. 

The weekends are a lot of hard work for the team to make sure that it is seamless for those attending the weekend. The team and I worked tirelessly for six months leading up to the weekend. During the weekend, I got to sit back and enjoy the weekend in my front row seat, while the rest of the team worked their booties off every hour!

At the end of this weekend I was presented with this beautiful framed picture from that team. The picture is of Jesus walking along, talking with two men on the roadway. I call it a gift of light because the front shows a representation of the Light of the World, and it is a beautifully done picture. But for me, the real beauty comes when you take it down from the wall and turn it over to see signatures and messages on the back. The “team” had each of the ladies that attended the weekend write a note and sign the back. By the time they signed the picture at the end of the weekend, they were filled with the light that can only come from Christ! They were glowing with it, and to my eyes, the back of that picture glows with it.

So, yes, the Light on the front of that picture represents infinite Light. Ah, but the back, it is the Light that filled each of these ladies during the weekend spilling out of them onto the back of the picture that makes it such a special and treasured gift. 

As we get to Psalm 119:126-130, the psalmist is talking about the gift of God’s commandments and the Light that it brings. 

The psalmist looked for God to get personally involved. In verse 126, he has had enough of people forsaking God’s Law. He seemed to be urging God to move, to do something about it. He appeared frustrated at the disregard for God’s commands. 

He reinforced his love of God’s commandments. He described them as being more precious than gold, not just gold, but pure gold that has gone through the refining process to remove all impurities so that it can be purified. With the value he attributed to God’s commandments, it holds fast that he also regarded all of God’s precepts to be righteous. He felt revulsion towards false or deceptive ways. 

The psalmist went back to praising God’s testimonies as wonderful. For this reason he attempted to obey them with his whole being. He praised even the way that the light of God’s Word came to him and the light it brought to everything that embraced it. He declared that it was understandable to all, even those with a childlike, humble faith. That is all it takes, the belief of a child. 

What are the challenges for applying this passage to our lives? I believe a lot of Christians do not have a full understanding of how valuable God’s commandments are. What a gift! The Creator of the universe, (down to the smallest particle imaginable,) took the time to tell us about them. How can we realize anything other than they are worth more than the most precious thing we could ever comprehend. Then, kind of on the opposite spectrum, I think we sometimes make God’s commandments more complicated than they need to be.  They are actually simple enough to pierce the heart of the most simple, humble of hearts. What a gift! They are for everyone.

How can this be applied to our lives? The whole Psalm 119 has been about God’s Word, and the valuable gift it imparts. The best way to apply this passage would be to fall in love with God’s commandments! We find ways to spend time with or around the things we love. Make it simple. Get in God’s Word. Before you try out a barrage of different Bible studies, simply sit down with God’s Word, ask God to teach you, and simply,  prayerfully read it. This one act of obedience will transform your life and surround you with unexplainable Light. 

What does this mean to my faith?  My faith is strengthened when I realize that God did see the need and he got personally involved. He sent His Son to change the course of eternity. He changed my eternity! Even better, He makes it simple to understand His precepts—His commandments. I am so thankful that my eternity is sealed.  It will be an eternity filled with the Gift of Light that will never go dim. 

 My Lord, I am in awe when I think how Your plan for eternity included me. From the beginning of time, You thought of me, personally. I have a place in Your family. I am so thankful.  I desire to continue to truly treasure and seek the riches that matter…the gift of spiritual riches and a future filled with the Light, not only of the world, but of eternity. 

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“126 It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.  127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. 128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. 129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. 130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”  Psalm 119:126-130 (KJV)

“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”  Romans 3:31 (KJV)

“How much better [is it] to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!”  Proverbs 16:16 (KJV)

“And what nation [is there so] great, that hath statutes and judgments [so] righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?”  Deuteronomy 4:8 (KJV)

“[Such] knowledge [is] too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot [attain] unto it.”  Psalm 139:6 (KJV)

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I feel that since God has given me the gift of this platform, I must always tell you about my Jesus.  

What is your relationship to the all-knowing God of the universe?  Do you know Jesus? Do you know the peace that can come only from an intimate relationship with Him?  You can know Him.  Jesus Christ, God’s Son, born into human flesh, sinless, crucified and giving His life freely, buried, arisen on the third day, will come into your life and change the outcome of your eternity.  You just have to be willing to believe and accept His truth.  

Here is an excellent website that can give you additional information about making your decision for Jesus Christ!  PeaceWithGod.net

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