Light

The work begins with light, God said, “Let there be light,” and at once light shone where all before was dark. God says, “Repent--the kingdom of heaven is at hand”: then our darkness is something we do not want to keep, and we are turned toward light. 

All those blessings hid in Christ from everlasting, and which are predestined to be accomplished in humankind, light is the first that is given: “God shines in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Many steps remain before the image of God will come, in fact we begin to see the division between what is of God and what is not; between the natural darkness in us and the light which God has made.

The light shines in darkness, but the darkness does not understand it. Two conflicting powers are striving each to gain the day, making the old domain of darkness a continually shifting but ceaseless battle field. Then a name is given by God both to light and darkness; that is, the character of each is learnt according to the mind of God. Now the darkness has a name. What God calls it, we call it. His thoughts are not altogether strange to us. Natural as the darkness may seem to us, God calls it “night.” It is a turning from the right or straight line. The light is “day.” 

There is a disturbance of the darkness. Death rules no longer; life with light is come. Besides, in this name there is a form given to both. Until now light and darkness were unformed, but “day” and “night” intimate order and distribution. Night is darkness put within limits. So with light; it is not “day” till it is arranged and put in form and order.

Welcome to the mission of the kingdom.