|
|
 |
 |
 |
Today's Lenten Devotion from the Evening Service
|
|
|
|
|
The Light of the World
The Gospel according to Saint John Chapter 8 Verse 12 begins Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world.
I remember sitting around the kitchen table with my Grandfather. It was December 24, 1950. He had just presented his five grandchildren with new bibles. We watched as he inscribed our names on the first page of each of our bibles. He was very meticulous in using his fountain pen as he wrote in block letters and signed each from Grand Dad. The bible was eight inches by eleven inches and had a zipper around the edges. Who wanted to get a bible for Christmas?
Since I was only eight years old at that time I must admit that the bible probably collected a lot of dust in my bedroom. Other than the usual mandatory required readings as I grew older and attended catechism and confirmation classes I don't think that I read it at all.
I can remember one New Years about the time that I was sixteen or seventeen years old and decided to make a New Year's resolution that I knew I could keep. I decided that I would read the bible every day. To this day I do not know what prompted me to do this. I often tried to think if there was something that I was in trouble for that might have required divine intervention; but I cannot to this day think of anything.
January 1, 1959 was the date I posted in my bible that I started reading a chapter a day. I remember that my decision to start with the New Testament was driven by the fact that the Old Testament contained many extremely complicated names. I would save this section of the bible until I was older. I finished reading the New Testament on April 8, 1960. I am happy that I had the forethought to put the dates directly onto the pages of my bible. I was creating my own history of my bible.
In the fall of 1960 I began my freshman year at college. After a considerable amount of thought I decided not to break the resolution and I took the bible with me to college. I believe my reasoning had something to do with the fact that I was very fearful about being away from home. In 1961 my little zippered bible wore out and I received another larger bible from my sister for my birthday. I didn't mind getting a bible this time since I had asked for one. I finished reading the Old Testament on February 15, 1963 and, again, posted the date in my bible.
It was interesting to observe in college how reading the bible would be looked upon by my roommates and friends. I guess that up until then I was a "closet bible reader". I found that I had nothing to worry about. In fact it initiated quite a few late night discussions between my friends and my fraternity brothers. We all are accustomed to worshiping within our religion. We are raised in one church usually and always share our beliefs with our church family. I found that discussing religion among all religious beliefs, including atheists and agnostics was a valuable learning experience. In addition to helping me understand the beliefs of others it helped reinforce my own beliefs. We all know that in group discussions while in college no one wins and we are never wrong, hence discussions often became quite loud. One of my roommates decided to take a course in the Old Testament. He was quick to let me know that it had nothing to do with my reading the bible.
As I look back over the years of bible reading, and yes I still have kept that now fifty year old New Year's resolution, I find dates posted throughout the bible with notes such as "started freshman year", "finished senior year", "started first job", "received first promotion", and the like. On an interesting note, I have never before or after made a New Year's resolution.
Over my bible reading history I found verses or chapters that served some significance at the time and I would list them on a blank page in the front of the bible. I posted Psalm 139, I Corinthians Chapter 13, Romans Chapter 13, and Deuteronomy Chapter 31 to name a few. I also circled passages in the body of the chapters that had some significance. I wish now that I had written down why that particular section had caught my eye. I can only assume that it filled a need at the time.
Unfortunately, after all of these years I am still looking for answers. I still have as many unanswered questions as I did forty years ago. I want to know why children have to die. I want to know why giant waves are allowed to destroy two hundred thousand people. Or why diseases were invented. I do believe what I read in Matthew 5 verses 14 to 16 which tells us that "we are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under bucket, but on the lampstand: and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let our light shine before men in such a way that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven."
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is a minister at the Westminster Chapel in London. He sums up what I believe the bible teaches.
"Christian people, you and I are living in the midst of men and women who are in a state of gross darkness. They will never have any light anywhere in this world except from you and from me and the gospel we believe and teach. They are watching us. Do they see something different about us? Are our lives a silent rebuke to them? Do we so live as to lead them to come and ask us, Why do you always look so peaceful? How is it you are so balanced? How can you stand up to things as you do? Why is it you are not dependent upon artificial aids and pleasures as we are? What is this thing you have got? If they do we can then tell them that wondrous, amazing, but tragically neglected news, that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners", and to give men a new nature and a new life and to make them children of God. Christian people alone are the light of the world today. Let us live and function as children of the Light."
The Gospel according to Saint John Chapter 8 verse 12 ends with " ... he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have eternal life." I elect not to walk in darkness.
Amen
Ken Olson
kolson@ocean.edu
... home |
|
|
|
