7 minute read
Living in the Light
from November 2020
by Brian Branam
Iwalked into our closet and flipped the switch. Instead of light, I got a blue flash followed by a hollow pop sound.
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Blown bulb.
I went to our utility closet and retrieved a new bulb, but I discovered another problem as I opened the light fixture. There was not one blown bulb, but three.
After replacing all three bulbs, I was amazed at how much light was in our closet. Compared to the way it was before that final blown bulb, it was like standing in a tanning bed. It made me wonder, how long had we been walking into that closet to the light of only one bulb. Replacing all three made me realize how it was supposed
to be. It explains why I would grab a shirt, ask my wife if it matched my pants, and she would say, “I don’t know, bring it out here (by the window), so I can see it better.” The closet wasn’t in darkness, but it was in “dimness.” You can’t get it right if there is not enough light.
So let’s propose now this scenario in a strange twist. What if I replaced all three bulbs, thought it to be too bright, and in response, removed all of them? One thing about it, all of your clothes match in the dark!
As crazy as it sounds, that’s precisely what we do with truth. We don’t replace bulbs; we remove them. Jesus described it like this: “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed,” John 3:19-20.
You don’t know how wrong something is until you see the brightness of what’s right. Jesus’ entrance into the world was a three bulb replacement for a dimly lit, one bulb closet. There has always been a moral sense about us, but Jesus showed us how we are really supposed to be.
But the human response to the coming of Christ was illogical. We crucified Him. It was like removing all of the bulbs instead of even just returning to the one. And even though Christ conquered death, we are still on a quest to crucify truth. Blurring the lines of morality, sexuality, and identity is like getting dressed in the dark. Nothing is wrong if you can’t see what’s right. But coming to Christ is an opportunity to dispel darkness and live life like it’s supposed to be lived, in light. “But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God,” John 3:21.
Living in light means that morality, sexuality, and identity are “carried out in God.” It’s life, according to Christ.
So what’s your strategy, replace the bulbs or remove them all? My advice? Come to Christ and see true light!
Devotional Challenge
Read John 3:1-21 • List the commands that are contained in this passage. • List the promises that are contained in this passage. • How does this passage challenge you to pray today?
About The Author Brian Branam is the Pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, a multi-site church in NW Georgia. For more of his material visit www.FeelMyFaith.com.
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