In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1:1-4, NIV)
A few weeks ago, I traveled with Under The Fig Tree Ministries on a biblical study trip through the lands of the Bible. As we journeyed through Egypt, Jordan, and Israel, using all of our senses, the text began to pop off the pages. One of the many things we learned was how the Egyptian creation myth provided ma’at, or order out of chaos. The more ma’at a Pharaoh provided, the more power and God-like status he acquired.
Our God, however, does not promise ma’at; he promises shalom, a completeness or wholeness that only comes from the one true God who created and put things into place.
At the very beginning of Genesis God shared through his writer how he created–and he didn’t exactly create out of nothing. The Hebrew for “formless and empty” means “chaos and void.” Out of the chaos, void and darkness God said, “Let there be light.” And “the light was good.” It takes light to deal with chaos and darkness.
More often than not, our lives are invaded with chaos and darkness: a negative health report, relationship crises, loss of a job, addictions, shame, or physical harm. The anecdote for the chaos and darkness is God’s light!
We learn more about this light in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” A lamp is not like the lights in our homes where we flip the switch and light is everywhere. The light given off by a lamp is soft, flickering, and inviting. In order for the light from a lamp to help us, we need to move toward it. Imagine you’re in a dark room with one candle burning. It dispels the darkness, but in order for you to do something or go somewhere, you will have to get right next to the candle or pick it up.
God gives us his light through Jesus. If we want to know Jesus, we need to draw closer to God’s Word because it is the lamp. The more we hide the Word in our hearts and get it in our bones, the clearer our perspective will be toward our struggles, and our eyes will be able to identify the right path to walk.
In ancient days, feet were more than something you walked on; they also represented authority and responsibility. In Egypt, we saw huge statues representing how the people were held under Pharaoh’s feet. As Christ-followers, we are given authority and responsibility in the way we interact with people and situations in our lives. How do we teach and instruct our children? How do employers treat employees? What is a teacher bestowing on students? Do our relationships offer kindness and vulnerability? Is God’s light our guide?
The “light to our path” illuminates the way we should go. God’s light, his Word, equips us, gives understanding, comforts, nourishes, and will be our compass for life. As we draw near to the soft, flickering, inviting light of Jesus, he will draw near to us.
—
Tracy Hanson
July 31, 2013
Copyright 2013 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.