LIGHT

It is no secret that our American heritage is shaded by periods of darkness.  Darkness of thinking, of circumstances, of tragedy, of violence, of hatred, of ignorance.  Should it come, then, as no secret that "the church" has, too, walked in darkness.  No need to drudge up all of that ... we all know the stories and have a few of our own!

My "beef" (as it were) is not with "the church" ... God loves his church ... my "beef" is with church goers and doers.  And if I can draw a comparison to what I read in the Bible, Jesus was kind of done with these folks, too!  The religious leaders, the pious, the goers, the doers were often addressed in his monologues.

I love that he made this comment in the temple, right smack dab in the middle of all the church folks:  I am the light of the world.  If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life.  (John 8:12)

Sometimes I'm left scratching my head and wondering, "Now Jesus, why did you say that?"  This, however, leaves me shouting "Amen" and knowing why he said it.  Contextually I believe it fits the culture at that time and our culture in this present day and age.  We have neglected to follow the Light in lieu of following rules of tradition and religion.  True worship, true religion liberates and doesn't suffocate.  It brings us life!

Fear keeps us from truly following the Light.  Light shines in places that formerly were kept in shadows.  Too few have discovered true life in Christ and freedom in and through the Holy Spirit.  Those who have touched the surface seem too "radical" and "out there" and are shunned for their new found freedom.  Yet, I desire what "the few" have found ... true freedom and Light in Christ and in the Holy Spirit!!

My Chris and I had coffee with an Austrian couple who have lived in the same apartment since their first baby was born.  That baby is now 52 years old.  They are from Vienna.  They are a small minority who have proclaimed to know Jesus as their personal savior.  They saw modern Christianity roll in after WWII.  They've been called radical and thought to have become members of a cult.  However, if they lived in America they would be your next door neighbors.

As we sipped our coffee in pretty cups with matching saucers and ate our cake (a typical sponge cake embedded with tart apricots) we asked questions about their lives together.  After many years, they have come to the conclusion that most of "the church" (according to my definition of goers and doers) has not grasped that Jesus is Light, that He alone brings freedom, and living by the Holy Spirit is nothing short other than living with abundant life  According to our friends, in over 60 years of the waves and influence of evangelical Christianity, if the masses knew the freedom of truly knowing Christ, Austria would have been profoundly impacted and changed for the better.  They are not talking about those who still live without a life committed to Jesus Christ.  They are talking about those who say they know Jesus personally.  They have so traded safe religion and a cozy subculture of "christian" friends that they have had little impact on the culture.

Those who know Jesus - would we dare to live in freedom!?!  He is the LIGHT.  At first light may hurt the eyes when not exposed to the illuminating sensation.  But then, once exposed, followers of the LIGHT of Christ become like vitamin D deficient premenopausal women who desperately crave the light ... and crave the truth of what living in the LIGHT has to offer.  Freedom!

moving a little closer to the window to catch a few rays,
christina