Children of Light

 

~~~ Ephesians 4:32-5:8 ~~~ Psalm 1~~~ Luke 13:10-17 ~~~

 

"...Live as children of light."

 

This is probably one of the most beautiful verses in Luke.

To be alive is to be growing to be nourished to have energy.

Children are innocent, loving, active bundles of energy.

When God said let there be light it was magnificent.

 

Living as children of light gives me this image

of children laughing, running, and playing

outside in the warm sunshine.

 

It would be wonderful to be carefree enjoying life and all good things.

But then that is the picture of a perfect world...

but we know we do not live in a perfect world.

 

There are many children around the world who do not run

and play freely in the sunshine.

 

Without the benefit of light we would be living in a very different world.

We are urged by Paul to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving.

Three traits that are not always easy to put into practice.

 

 

Jesus brought us out of the darkness.

Jesus showed us how to live in the light through

loving compassionately.

 

Jesus took notice of the crippled bent over woman

and reached out to her.

He offered her healing even though it was the Sabbath.

Jesus was quickly criticized for his compassion

because it was the day of rest.

 

If we are so bound by the rules and laws that we cannot

act with love and compassion

we are actually living in the dark.

We are living in the dark because we cannot see

what it means to love.

Without the benefit of light all things appear as darkness.

 

Jesus was preaching in the synagogue on the sabbath

 when he noticed the crippled woman

among the community.

Throughout his public ministry Jesus acts as a

compassionate human being.

 

I think it is worth noting here that Jesus reached out to this woman...

she had not come to ask for healing.

She had come to listen to his teaching.

For her maybe hearing him speak was enough to satisfy her.

 

After being bent over for eighteen years

she had probably become accustomed to her situation.

 

The leader of the synagogue, who was in darkness,

 considered the curing

of the afflicted woman to be 'work'.

Jesus, on the other hand, saw the woman

who had been suffering for eighteen years

and knew he could help her so he did.

 

He laid his hands on her and she was cured.

Jesus gave this woman so much more than she anticipated...

he does the same for us.

 

Has there been a time in your life when God has done more

for you than you had requested?

 

Give thanks that we are his...

that we are children of the Light,

because God is the source of all Light.