In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was waste and emptiness,
and darkness covered the face of the deep,
and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.
Then God said, "Let there be light;" and there was light.
Genesis 1:1-3
Irvine is fake. Let there be light. Irvine is dead. Every day, I walk by the unfaithful, reading their textbooks, cursing alone or together, ridiculing the righteous, and just hanging out in the fellowship of the classrooms and the fraternities. I do not hesitate in the haze of smoke that clouds the truth, the delicious smells of Ring Road that offer desirous carnal pleasures, the intentional repression of the truth with all sorts of drugs. I do not sit in the love seats that hold umbral promises, or remain in the presence of the evils of the speeches. I do not scoff the antics of less-than-gracious men who proclaim the righteousness of the Christ. I do not stand idly by the way of those who fight for injustice. I do not walk in the advice of the friends who reject the truth. If I would fall prey to these people, I will be like a plastic bag on the freeway, carried away by the winds of false doctrine. If I would fall into these things, I would be unable to stand innocently before the court or before the church. I would die.
God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:4
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overpower it.
...as many as received Him [the Word],
to them He gave the right to children of God,
even to those who believe in His name,
who were begotten,
not of bloods nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man,
but of God.
John 1:1,4,5,12
Irvine is real. Let there be light. Irvine is alive. Every day, I walk with the faithful, reading the Bible, praying alone or together, evangelizing, and just hanging out in fellowship and song. I stand in awe and praise of the truth that I sing forth daily when I overhear the prayers of the faithful. I stand in joyful song as I bless the LORD who made and redeemed me. I sit on the floor, listening to the counsel of wiser men, of leaders in the faith. I submit to the authority of perfected wisdom of those who speak the truth in love. I stand in the presence of those who labor for the truth. I walk in the way of the obedient. I take the first fruits of my day and night to study my Father's counsel, and I delight in His instruction. If I would do these things, the Husbandman will set my roots with living water, so that I would bear fruit for His time. If I would do these things, He would not let me wither, but He would make me prosper for His sake. He approves of right paths.
"This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought by God."
John 3:19-21
"If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, for the light is not in him."
John 11:9b-10
"I[Jesus] have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness."
John 12:46
"I[Jesus] am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
John 8:12b
But I cannot do these things alone. There, [walking in the counsel of the wicked, standing in the way of mockers, and sitting in the seat of scoffers] BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, go I. Because Jesus did do these things, I live, both in the Sabbath rest and in this time of labor in the kingdom.
"You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden;
nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket,
but on the lampstand,
and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 5:14-16
Philippians 2:14-16
"Ah, mercy."
We are slight souls, smoking flax and bent reeds. But not only does He not snuff us out, He sets us aflame with an unquenchable and undeniable and unending fire that does not consume us. He takes our sandals away, for the stones of the ground cry HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, and He pledges to adopt and love and redeem us with those dirty sandals that He refused to let wear out.
I burn my candle at both ends,
it will not last the night.
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends,
it gives a lovely light.
---Edna St. Vincent Millay
We are candles burning at both ends, but we are not consumed, for we are baptized and maintained by His Spirit. We will last precisely as long as He fuels us, and we dare not give an iota less than our brightest light, singing joyfully as our lamps are drained, for it is only by His Presence that we have light and oil to trim our lamps as we wait faithfully for the Light of the world to rouse the dawn once more, when the Son rises like the sun over the eastern skies, full of life, like a champion rejoicing to run His race and like a bridegroom beaming from His chamber.
*EDIT*
"Who is among you that fears the LORD,
that obeys the voice of His servant,
that walks in darkness and has no light?
Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God."
Isaiah 50:10
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Psalm 119:105
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