Skip to main content

Lent—A Season of Light


            Spring brings with it accumulating light.  The light reaches its maximum stay by midsummer.  After a long dark winter, light is a welcome friend.  It changes moods and brings on anticipation for something better.  Have you experienced more contentment as the light has lingered during the day?
            Light and confessing sin don’t seem to mix.  Yet, they definitely go hand in hand.  Without the cleansing from confession, the light would be shaded.  Confession of our sin is what brings us into the light of Christ.  His light shines brightest through us when we are most aware of His presence.  Confession increases the light that is visible to the people who live in our world.  The less of our sins and the more of God they see in us sheds light on God and gives Him more glory.
            God’s first word of creation was to bring light to the darkness (Genesis 1:1).  In the New creation there will not be need for a sun, moon or lamps because God Himself will be our light (Revelation 22:5).  Light reveals the beauty of God.
            Times when I don’t think I’m much of a sinner and ignore my sins are the times that I am most distant from God.  Psalm 32:5 says, Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.  And you forgave the guilt of my sin.  It is through confession that we are brought near to God and into His light.  Through our unity with God, the light of Christ begins to shine through our lives.
            One of the judges on American Idol, Stephen Tyler, told a contestant: I see the light of God come through your eyes when you sing; it was that good.  Confession of sin makes that happen.  As we receive God’s forgiveness about all the ways we are not like God, the ways that God is living in us become more apparent to those who are around us.
            Just as Spring brings extended light into the world, the Lenten season for your soul should be bringing more light to the world you live in.  Has anyone noticed that you are kinder, more thoughtful or considerate?  Have you noticed this in yourself?
            Light is so every day sometimes the subtle changes in the increasing light are hard to notice from one day to another.  We have had several days of Lent; have you noticed any change in the light of your life?  Could anyone say of you that the light of God shines right through your eyes?
            How is your Lenten discipline leading you to display more of the light of Christ? 
Copyright © 2012.  Deborah R. Newman www.teatimeforyoursoul.com  All Rights Reserved.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Pilgrimage that Started with Tears

                Who would think I would shed tears deciding to set out on a wonderful journey that I have longed to take for many years?   Before I was ready to fully accept God’s invitation for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, I had to journey to a place of agreement between what my soul wanted and what the Lord wanted for me.   For years I have been declining opportunities to travel to Israel—not because I didn’t want to go but because I wanted to go with my husband by my side.   I know that God could have arranged that for me, but instead He asked me to accept that He wanted me to be willing to go and leave everything behind.   When I was asked to make a decision about going on a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, God gave me this verse in answer to my prayer -- Debi, observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are cr...
2 comments
Read more

The Bliss of Knowing You are Loved by God

            There is bliss of knowing that you are loved by a real and intimate God.   I have felt that bliss. I don’t experience it all the time and sometimes it takes me a while to notice how much I miss it.   Often I come back to my senses when I read the spiritual writings of one who is explaining how great God is and I am reminded how good He is to me.               I suppose the saints stayed more connected to the bliss of God on a regular basis and missed it far less than me.   I wish I knew their secret; all I can tell you is that it is a cycle for me to find myself unaware of God for a time.   It is often a struggle to reconnect each day. What brought me to my senses recently was a huge blessing He sent my way.   This good thing literally came to me directly from the hand of God.   I didn’t even consider sharing the joy I was ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why Me?

              When something tragic or unexpected happens, our first question seems to be, Why me?   It’s only human to feel this way and wonder why life has got to be so hard.   God has helped me look at my unwanted circumstances with a different question.   Rather than keep the focus on my pain and ask, Why me?   I focus on Him and wonder, How can You be glorified when everything is going wrong?             Adding one more word to that question makes a huge difference spiritually and opens my soul to find so much more than just my pain.   Another way to look at life’s tragedies is, Why not me ?   Sure, we each have our own amount of personal sorrows. These are the kind of sorrows that have no answers.      We can't explain away death, cancer, rape, bankruptcy and other heartaches.   It is easier to explain...
Post a Comment
Read more