Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. —James 1:17 [ESV] In the garden of Eden, God promised a Redeemer Who would come to crush the serpent and destroy sin. God did not promise this Redeemer and then just disappear until the time came—God remained active in the lives of His people, caring for them, speaking with them, and setting them apart. The Lord God showed Himself to His people not as a distant or a cold God, but as the Father of Lights. The people of Israel, enslaved in Egypt, called out to God for deliverance. He appeared as light to Moses in the form of a burning bush. What an experience to hear the voice of God coming from a bush that was burning, but not consumed! (see Exodus 3:2) The Father of Lights displayed His power through His light and called Moses to an important task. God divinely orchestrated the deliverance of His people in every way and brought them out of the land of Egypt to the land that He had promised.
After the Israelites left Egypt, God again showed His care through His light by leading them through the wilderness:
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
—Exodus 13:21–22
The Father of Light's holiness was made manifest as He appeared as light to guide the path of His people. His light didn't just provide direction, but it provided comfort that He was there with them. Though they must have been tired, traveling day and night, the Lord God never departed from them—they were not alone.
God is with His people today. He does not leave us alone as we walk the paths laid out before us. Psalm 119:105 states that “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God still guides, instructs, and disciplines us today through His Word. As we are tempted to stray from God's path, as we encounter difficulties and challenges that come as a result of sin in the world, the light of His Word continually illuminates the way for us.
This Christmas, let us rejoice in our Father of Lights, Who daily guides and directs us through His Word. Let us thank Him for not abandoning us to find our own way, but for giving us His Word to illumine our paths.
From RevelationMedia Dec. 9, 2022
Comments