Illumination
I enjoy walking into a room that is well lit. The lighting can set the mood or atmosphere. The lighting can reveal details and the lack of lighting can cover up flaws or mistakes. When attending a play my attention is drawn to the light. I often will try to see what’s taking place outside the light in order to see what’s coming next. Light is powerful, and it always pushes out darkness. I love celebrating the resurrection of Jesus because He is the LIGHT of the World and when He rose from death, He validated His claim as the Son of God. Death is the big enemy of life, but Jesus showed that He has power even over death!
Paul writes a second letter to Timothy and he opens the letter by being thankful for Timothy and the relationship they have. He also gives Timothy a glimpse of the big picture of eternal life. Check this out….
9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. (2 Timothy 1:9-10 NLT)
I love this picture of what Jesus accomplished when He rose from death. He lights the way for all of us with His suffering on a cross, buried for three days, but coming to life on first day of the week. The gospel of Jesus was completed with what happened at the tomb where He was buried. The gospel is still illuminating the way for me to live. I want to live in the illuminated way that He revealed by His life, His death AND His resurrection!
I’m excited to celebrate this special occasion and this day with my church family. We gather together each week because He illuminates the way for us to live. The songs we sing, the prayers we pray, the messages preached all point to the man from Galilee Who lived a life without sin, healed the sick, raised the dead and conquered death Himself. I am humbled and grateful to be saved from the sting and finality of death. My life is illuminated daily through Jesus.
Pressing On!
Dwayne