Kingdom Of Light

Read: 1 John 1:5-7

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 1 John 1:5

IN WORD

Dark kingdoms make for good stories. From ancient mythology to modern fiction, the presence of evil is almost always at the center of the plot. But it’s never the goal; it’s an obstacle to overcome, an agenda to thwart, a threat to endure. It’s the part of the story that needs to go away before the story ends.

We live in just such a story, where a dark kingdom intrudes on a beautiful creation and obscures the Kingdom of light. Many in our world are so blinded by the darkness that they don’t even believe light actually exists. They see not truth and lies but opinions; not good or evil but relatively better or worse; not black and white but gray. But the message of the gospel is that the Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of light because God Himself is light—so thoroughly light that no hint of darkness is in Him at all. He is relentlessly good, beautiful, and true. And His Kingdom belongs to those who recognize that and enter into the goodness, beauty, and truth.

It’s easy to get disoriented in our world, where darkness has distorted all that is good. In this realm, lies can seem advantageous, commitments can seem much too restrictive, love can turn selfish, greed can come in handy, and even evil can be attractive. Like a dirty mirror or a rain-drenched window, the kingdom of darkness can play tricks on our eyes. What we think we see isn’t always real.

IN DEED

Whenever you find yourself in a morally, ethically, or relationally confusing situation, look for light. Don’t be swayed by gray areas, relativistic arguments, or hypothetical suggestions that muddy the picture. Anchor yourself in truth, beauty, and love in its purest sense. Like a moth to a flame, gravitate toward the light God has given you. The Kingdom culture is bright and clear.

ADDITIONAL READING: John 1:1-5

In darkness there is no choice. It is light that enables us to see the differences between things; and it is Christ who gives us light.

AUGUSTUS W. HARE