During our gathering this month the dominant theme was LIGHT and REVELATION. In this ‘new time’, we believe the Lord is bringing new revelation to ordinary Christians – that he will ‘illuminate’ things in such a way that they will be seen in a ‘different light’.
These are the key points which emerged during our gathering:
- In scripture, the Lord often brings revelation in the midst of adversity or constraint. We were reminded that many of Paul’s letters were written from prison. Are we open to the Lord’s revelation when we are in such situations? God frequently brings about a ‘reversal’ in what appears to be adversity eg. “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (Ps 118.22)
- God uses the ‘language’ of light to bring revelation. His first word of creation is “Let there be light” (Gen 1.3). He IS light (1Jn 1.5) and Truth is revealed as light. He shines His light on and into each of us so that we bring that revelation of Truth into the world.
- Jesus, the Light and the Truth, is God’s revelation of Himself to the world. His intention is that this revelation is now made clear through His Church – Christ’s Body – in full colour! We were reminded that we were previously given the image of each person being as a pixel on a screen – each light is needed to give the full picture. Christine G also shared a picture (here) she has painted on this same theme.
- Becoming light is a process: “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Eph 5.13-14). This is a good verse to pray for ourselves and for the Church of Christ.
- Light may be experienced in different forms, including the spectrum of its constituent colours. A laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation), is known as ‘coherent’ light, which transmits more ‘information’. It can be focussed in an intense way, giving rise to potential for a variety of uses, including healing. God is able to impart a huge amount of information, or revelation, through a single word: “He sent forth his word and healed them.” (Ps 107.20).
- We are to be ‘receptors’ of God’s Light. He simply wants us to be open to receive His Light. His light is His nature, which is LOVE. As we are in agreement with God’s plans and purposes, we carry and radiate God’s Light and Love to others. Perseverance and faithfulness increase the intensity of Christ’s Light within us.
- Our focus determines the measure of light we radiate: “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.” (Luke 11.34-36). We should not be primarily focussed on the things of the world, but on Christ, so that we see the world through His eyes.
- “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” (Is 60.1-3).
- A picture of a meerkat was shared with the verse Jer 6.16: “This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” The meerkat stands on its hind legs to gain an ‘ascended’ view and uses all its senses to determine what is happening and where it should go. Its posture is one of being on high alert, which gives heightened acuity to all its senses. This is a time when we should be similarly positioned to discern what the Lord is doing. The word “momentous” was given. We believe something momentous is about to happen.
- We should be aware that our enemy will use ‘light’ to distract and divert us. “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” (2Cor 11.14). We are not looking for light in the world. We are turning our face towards God, who is Light, and who illuminates scripture – the Truth of His Word. Similarly, we should be aware that “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God…..For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2Cor 4.4,6)
- Ultimately, we look forward to the New Jerusalem. “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light…” (Rev 21.23-24).
We paused several times during our gathering to pray into being what was being shared. In particular, we prayed for ourselves according to Num 6.24-26: The Lord bless us and keep us; the Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious to us; the Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace.
Our gathering ended with a prayer written by St John Henry Newman:
Dear Jesus, Help Us To Spread Your Fragrance Everywhere We Go.
Flood Our Souls With Your Spirit And Life.
Penetrate And Possess Our Whole Being So Utterly
That Our Lives May Only Be A Radiance Of Yours.
Shine Through Us And Be So In Us
That Every Soul We Come In Contact With May Feel Your Presence In Our Souls.
Let Them Look Up, And See No Longer Us, But Only Jesus!
Stay With Us And Then We Shall Begin To Shine As You Shine,
So To Shine As To Be A Light To Others.
The Light, O Jesus, Will Be All From You; None Of It Will Be Ours.
It Will Be You, Shining On Others Through Us.
Let Us Thus Praise You In The Way You Love Best, By Shining On Those Around Us.
Let Us Preach You Without Preaching, Not By Words But By Example,
By The Catching Force, The Sympathetic Influence Of What We Do,
The Evident Fullness Of The Love Our Hearts Bear For You. Amen.
