Metaphors for God – Part 5

Light

We’ve been studying the metaphors for God. So far we’ve learned…

God is caring and compassionate like a mother hen.

God is dependable like a rock.

God will guide you through life like a shepherd.

God will give himself for you like a sacrificial lamb.

Let’s study together this week’s metaphor:

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 

God is light… and later, from the Psalms.

The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear?
-Psalm 27:1

How exactly is God like light? What is this metaphor supposed to teach us?

Let’s face it: the world can seem, at times, to be a place of darkness.

Globally, we’re witnessing the devastation in Ukraine during an unprovoked war with Russia. The images on the news show a world filled with darkness.

Locally, even in our own communities, we witness broken homes and broken relationships…

Individually, there can be moments of darkness within ourselves.

We all know what it feels like to be in a dark place, or to have a such a sour mood that it feels like a rain cloud is following us.

The point is not about the darkness. The point is that God is light.

In times of darkness, God illuminates our world.

What happens to darkness when the light shines? It disappears. Darkness cannot exist in light.

Like the sun rising over a hill…
Like a candle in a dark room…
Like a light switch suddenly turned on…

God is light, and light is flooding into the world.

The picture I want you to have in your head is not of a pitch black world full of danger and conflict but of light breaking in…

Jesus once said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
-John 8:12

When is the last time that you drove way out into the country to a place with no street lights? In those moments, you realize how much you need headlights on a car.

Your headlights make it so that you can see the road in front of you.

Jesus is making a similar analogy.

Jesus says that he is the light of the world and that you can follow him through the dark moments.

Jesus will illuminate for you the path that leads to life.

In a world that can be dark, Jesus is the light that shines on where we are supposed to go. He will lead you to life.

This Sunday will be week two of our 40 Days Of Discipleship series. Join us as we embrace the season of Lent.

See you on Sunday!

–Pastor David

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