Light be...

Greetings to everyone from Springfield Missouri!

We have been here since June 11 for Missionary training.  We have been delighted to fellowship with others who have been called to the Missions field and, just so you don't think we're just socializing, have also been in classes everyday; there's even choir practice.  It's a lot like going away to college so I'm told.

Mike and I have had a couple of services this month, obviously not a lot since we're here, but we were blessed to have had our service at our home church on June 5.  As God prepared us for that service He began to show me images of Light.  The sermon we prepared was "out of the box", no really that was the title, and delved a little bit into the life of Paul.

We began with a short summary of Saul and then the trip to Damascus.  As God and I were working with that, it was my portion of the service, He began to show me an image of the Light that surrounded Saul that was different than I had ever imagined.  I suppose I have thought of that light as one dimensional like a spot light.  But God began to show me Light with dimension and depth, viscous and reaching out and enveloping Saul on that road.  From this light of the Presence Jesus spoke to Saul while he was surrounded by Him.  This is an interesting view of relationship, I think.  Jesus is our covering.  He envelopes us, surrounds us, and we are completely immersed in Him.  This is not to say that we loose ourselves because I don't believe that's true beyond that which must be removed or changed for God's will to be completed in us.  But rather that He sustains us and protects us while still allowing us free movement.


We came here to training and the Light has been continually coming up.  I love it when God does that stuff don't you?  I didn't write down all of the references that have been given but I begin to see a pattern in Spirit and, yes, I will do my best to convey that to you although I'm not certain there are adequate words.


We are all called to be His witnesses, empowered by the Spirit, to tell the good news to everyone.  Those of us here have a call to go out but all of us are called to witness Christ to those which He has placed in our lives.  Scripture tells us that we are the Light of the world for a reason.  I want you to see what we've been shown here in Spirit.  Mike and I have been discussing it after almost every class.


Imagine that the nations are a diamond.  (I know go with it, it's a great analogy)  What does a diamond do?  It reflects light and that allows the facets to sparkle and brings them to their full beauty.  Makes sense right?  The nations purpose has been and always will be to reflect the Glory of God.  We went through some of the Bible yesterday and saw all of the references to God and the nations; blessing the nations, the God of all the nations.  Do you see a pattern here?  (Yes, light is coming...just read on)  When the nations don't reflect the glory of God, just like when we don't reflect the glory of God, the facets are dark and don't come to their full potential or their full glory.


Genesis 1: God said Light be and Light was.  That was 3 days before He made the sun, moon and stars.  And yet, plants grew in the Light that was before the son was.  They thrived in the life giving Light spoken into existence by the God of all creation.  Look at John 1.  John tells us that the Word was life and that life was the light of men.  It goes on to say that the Light shown in the darkness and the darkness could not comprehend it.  The Light is life.  


In Saul's case in Acts, the Light of the presence surrounded Him and brought Him into a fullness of knowledge in Christ.  I say that because Saul was a Pharisee, he already knew Scripture.  He was waiting for the consolation of Israel.  He expected God to do what He'd promised.  He was a Pharisee of Pharisees, which is how he describes himself.  He was the up and comer in the world.  And yet, this viscous living Light gave him a new outlook, it took the veil off his eyes and allowed him to see the entirety of what he had learned his entire life.  He says it in 2 Corinthians.  Even now when the Old Testament is read there's a veil over it.  Moses didn't wear the veil, Paul tells us, because he didn't want the people to see the glory of God on his face.  Rather he wore it so they wouldn't see that Light fade.  But now, we view Scripture with the veil ripped away, to me, much in the same way that the veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was ripped in two at Christ's death.  It's not needed.  Now we have a better way to view what He's given us.

"For all we with unveiled face behold His glory," not as in a mirror but rather the entirely of His glory beheld by His bride.  "and are being transformed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another."  (2 Corinthians 3:18)  We behold the glory of the Light of His presence because that's where we live, that's what we're reflecting.  


Our Missionary purpose is to show that Light of Life to those which God has given us to shine upon.  For us, that means to the children of Scotland and anyone else God puts in our path.  For our friends the Hales, that means to the international community of Prague in the Czech Republic.  For you, that means to whomever God has put you in contact with.  The Light of Life needs to shine out your pores. 

Maybe this is elementary, maybe not.  But I can tell you that when God said Light be and Light was, He started something.  That prophetic word moved ahead through time and space.  It became a shining ribbon from before the beginning of time to infinity.  It began and it completes.  This Light is in Genesis and streams all through Scripture; the Light as life.  Life given to glorify God.  Now move to Revelation 21 and the description of the New Jerusalem.  No sun or moon is needed because the Glory of God illuminates; the Lamb is the Light.  The city reflects the Glory of God.  Guess what guys?  The Bride is the city.  If you're God's, you are that city.  You reflect God's glory; you are being transformed into His image from one degree of Glory to the another.  From the city runs a river, on the sides of the river grow the trees of life yielding fruit for every month, and the leaves are for the healing of the nations.  In the Light, life thrives.


Imagine with me the throne room in Isaiah and Revelation, the Light surrounds the emerald throne, the train fills the temple, the elders in thrones around falling down in worship, throwing their crowns before their God and King; Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.  Imagine the Light from creation lighting the throne room.  Swirling, encompassing, surrounding, completing.


The Spirit and the Bride say, Come Lord Jesus.


I know this is a long post.  I know I haven't really given you all that I see and I know that God isn't done with me or with this yet.  You may see more, you may not.


Know that we hold you all in our prayers as we continue forward.


Blessings in Christ, 


Mike and Tina