Light.

In Sunday school yesterday my Sunday school teacher asked
“What stamp of God in our lives makes it evident we are from God?”

This question really struck me. I wondered when a non-Christian looks at me what stamp of God do I have that makes it evident that I am from God.

When this question was asked my class a woman in the back answered by stating that she has been told by others that there is a light in her eyes and in her face that makes it evident that she is from God.

I wonder is there really a light that God stamps upon our faces that makes it evident that we are from God?

What if this is true? What if my face a light in it that is evidence to the world that I am from God? What is the significance of light?

I have always been fascinated by light. I have always been intrigued by light. I seem to notice the way that light reflects off of things, the way the sun reflects off water, or a building, the way light hits the grass, the sky, the people walking on the sidewalk. I love gazing upon the sunrise in the morning and the sunset in the evenings. Light is captivating to me.

Maybe it’s that I like the triumph of light. Darkness cannot not hide in light. Light always penetrates darkness. Light always wins.

Jesus tells us that we are the light of world, we are a city in a hill that cannot be hidden. Maybe that light shines most brightly in our faces. Maybe that is why the power of a smile is so great because light then reflects of our teeth and leaks out of our mouths and cheeks.

As I was reading through Acts last night before I went to sleep I was still thinking about this whole light shining through our faces thing. I was reading about Stephen and God, I read Acts 6:15 as it states, “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” I think there was light shining through his face. I think that a light that God stamped upon Stephen’s face made it completely evident to all around him that he was from God.

So the question is raised… Can I see this light in the faces of my fellow Christians? Can I see this light in my own face? Can others?

St. Augustine

St Augustine once said:

"We are His temple, individually and collectively, since He condescends to dwell in each one and in the whole body, being no greater in all than in each, since He is neither expanded nor divided. Our Heart when it rises to Him is His alter. The priest who intercedes for us is His Only-Begotten Son. We sacrifice blood-stained victims to him when we fight for His truth at the loss of our own blood. To Him we offer the sweetest incense when we come before Him burning with Holy and pious love; to Him we devote and surrender ourselves to His gifts in us; to Him, by solemn feasts and on appointed days, we sanctify the memory of His benefits, so that neither time nor ungratefulness should creep up on us; to Him we offer on the alter of our heart the sacrifice of humility and praise, kindled by the fire of burning love. This is all so we may see Him, as far as He may be seen, and that we may cling to Him, cleansed from all stain of sins and evil passions, being consecrated in His name. Therefore, his the fountain of our happiness, and the aim of all our desires, being attached to Him - or rather re-attached since we formerly detached ourselvesand lost hold of Him - being, I say, re-attached to Him, we are drawn towards Him by love, that we may rest in Him, and find our blessedness by attaining that goal."

Where is this love in us today? Where is this love in me today? Where is this passion in us? Where is this passion in me? Oh that this would characterize us, our generation.