Dr. Dan Coflin
Pastor, River of Life Church
One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 60:1: “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” You notice it says that your light has come and the glory of God has (already) risen upon you. It does not say light and glory will come one day, but it has already come.
So how has the light and glory of God risen upon you and me? We often think of the light and glory of God as some visible glow, but Ephesians 5:13 says, “Whatever makes manifest is light.”
We have all stumbled around in the dark looking for a flashlight or light switch. Once the light is on it reveals what was previously in the dark. The light made manifest what was not previously seen. When the Bible speaks of the light of God, it is referring to the revealing of who God is and what he is like.
Jesus’ life was the light of mankind (Jn. 1:4). His life revealed to us the character and nature of God, so much so that he could say to Philip, one of his disciples, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (Jn. 14:9) The life of Jesus is the light of God that reveals to man who God is.
The Bible is filled with references to God as light: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 Jn. 1:5) and “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life,” are just a few.
If you are a believer, the Bible says, “You have been called out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Pet. 2:9). Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” (Mt. 5:14) In other words, Jesus is saying to you and me that we are to “shine the light” for people who are in darkness (have no knowledge of God).
We do not glow with some manmade or artificial light, but we reveal through our actions, words, deeds, and ways, God’s life, his love, and his delight in man who he values so greatly he was willing to pay the price for man’s forgiveness and redemption. Light (revelation) of God is what we have been given.
Every aspect of our lives either reveals God or keeps him in the dark to those who know us. John writes, “He that says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loves his brother abides in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.” (1 Jn. 2:9-10).
The term “occasion of stumbling” is translated in other places as offence or a snare. If we, as believers, walk in hatefulness and bitterness we have just been snared by darkness. We are neither walking in the light of God nor revealing the life of God because we are hiding the light of who God is (love, forgiveness) by actions or words that are not of God.
But if we will walk in the light and glory of God revealing him in all our ways, then “nations will come to your light and kings will see the shinning greatness of the Lord on you” (Is. 60:3 NLV). Would you like to for nations and kings to want to know you because they find in you the revelation of God? I believe that is God’s plan!
Dr. Dan Coflin and his wife Dianne co-pastor River of Life Church at 410 E. Chapman Rd. in Lutz, FL. 33549, (813) 949-9931, www.roltampa.org
We would love to invite you to visit River of Life Church. Our lively worship begins at 10:30am on Sunday. We are a non-denominational, spirit-filled ministry. Please honor us with your visit. We would love to have you!