Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Await the eternal light of Christ

Bible Reading:    Revelations 22:1-5

Key  verse: There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light...

DEVOTION

A phrase we often hear is “light at the end of the tunnel”. This phrase represents hope and anticipation of something good that is bound to happen. In the bible, there are many different characteristics attributed to light. 1 John 1:5 says, “God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all”. So essentially, light is the absence of darkness. Jesus refers to Himself as the light of the world and whoever believes in Him will be given the eternal light of life. We, as believers, are called the children of the light. Light is also synonymous to good whereas darkness represents evil. In the New Testament, we also see light as synonymous with eternal life and salvation. 
Revelations 22 talks about the new Eden. Much like the old garden of Eden, the new promised land has the water of life and the tree of life which bears the fruit every month. The difference between the old Eden and new Eden is that in the new Eden there are no rules regarding eating from the tree and no curse. This new Eden has the believers and faithful servants of God living in the eternal light of the Lord. Here there is no darkness since there is no evil and everything is illuminated by the light of Christ. There is no need for a lamp as there is no darkness to be driven away. The servants of God see Him face-to-face and are marked by His name on their foreheads. How lovely is the vision of new Eden that John was given.  
When you think of the book of Revelations, we usually feel fear and dismay. Thoughts of eternal punishment and eternal fire burn through our minds. However, in the very same book of Revelations, there lies hope of a new promised land, a new Eden. Where everything is bright and filled with the light of our Lord and where we see our Lord face to face. It is this very promise that we need to cling on to during our brief journey in the mortal world. All around us we see darkness and evil but we are the children of the living God are equipped with His light that shines through us. We have the ability within us to drive away darkness and bring light into others lives. So let us go forth and shine our light wherever God has placed us. 

PRAYER

 Dear Lord, strengthen us with Your spirit and light so that we may shine forth and drive away the darkness that lurks in this world. Help us to be shining examples of your ways so that others may see Your light reflected in us. We ask you to grant us a place in the new Eden so we may be able to see Your face and live in your eternal light. 

 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself - Desiderius Erasmus


Susan Cherian Varughese, Epiphany MTC. New York

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