The Coming of the Light (7)

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. Revelation 21.23

Here, but not yet
The Kingdom of light, which Jesus, the Light of the world, has brought near and given to us, into which He has conveyed us to be lights shining in the darkness, is a present reality. It is unfolding and expanding against the darkness of unbelief as the followers of Jesus Christ walk in the light as He is in the light, and as they expose the darkness and proclaim the onset of the new day. We are to pray for the coming of the Kingdom and to seek it as a defining priority in all we do (Matt. 6.10, 33).

Christians seek the light of Christ and His truth, that they may be illuminated by Him, made radiant with His transforming Presence and power, and luminescent to refract His light into their Personal Mission Fields. If we do not love the light, so that we seek it diligently day by day, it can only be that we love the darkness more.

But while the Kingdom of light is here and advancing, it is still yet to come in all its fullness. For the final realization of the Kingdom will not be until the Lord returns and banishes all the minions of darkness to the eternal and outer darkness which all their lives they have preferred. Then He will create the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells, where the light of Christ will shine fully and fruitfully on, in, and through all those He has redeemed and saved.

It is toward this day that we strive, for this day we long, and as harbingers and heralds of this day that we conduct our lives in the world.

Living for the eternal day
Now this longing for the eternal day is neither a hypothetical nor a merely intellectual experience. We know this day is coming, because the same Word Who delivered us into the Kingdom of light tells us that the new day assuredly is near. We embrace the coming new day by faith, and strain toward it in all we do, not simply as an idea to be indulged, but as a way of life to embrace. We walk in the light of that coming new day so that, when we finally arrive there, it will be clear to all that this is, indeed, our native land.

Peter writes of this in 2 Peter 3.10-13: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

The coming new day must make a difference in each new day of our lives. “Therefore,” Peter continues (v. 14), “looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless…” We do not live our citizenship before the watching world only. The Lord of light scrutinizes His people, and He urges us day by day, through His Word and Spirit, to be clothed with the light and to proclaim the light so that the world might know the light is coming and the darkness is about to pass away.

Then and there, here and now
We are called, in short, to live in the “there and then” in every “here and now” moment of our lives. We are a people oriented toward the future, and who prepare for it every day of our lives. The future we expect is one of no more sorrows, no more tears, no more sin, and no more darkness. So when that day at last dawns upon us, we want to be seen as qualified to take our place within it, true children of the light and followers of the Light of the world.

It should not be hard to see that living this way will make us stand out – “shine,” as Paul put it – as true citizens of Light in an age of darkness and unbelief.

Does this describe your life? Do you live with an eye always toward the far horizon of eternal glory? And does that longed-for destination and hope inform, shape, and direct every aspect of your life in the present? Do you live joyously and in ready obedience to the Lord? Are you constantly laying aside your old person to be increasingly renewed in the likeness of Jesus Christ? Do you labor and pray to see as much as possible of His beauty, goodness, and truth abounding in your Personal Mission Field? And is “Even so, come, Lord Jesus,” the continuous refrain of your soul?

This is how we as Christians are called to live, and if we do not live this way, then how will it be known, when the Lord comes to call for an accounting, that we have any real claim on that eternal Kingdom of light? Paul said we must press on to realize this upward calling of God, laying aside everything that keeps us from refracting more of the light of Jesus every day (Phil. 3.7-15).

If we hope to know the eternal light of that glorious then and there, let that fervent desire direct all our soul and lead us to increase in that light every moment and day of our here and now.

For reflection
1.  How do you understand what the new heavens and new earth will be like? Do you look forward to this? Think about it often?

2.  What does it mean to live toward this coming day of light?

3.  How can believers encourage one another to walk in the light as He is in the light?

Next steps – Transformation: “The coming new day must make a difference with each new day of our lives.” How are you planning for this to be more true in your life during the year to come?

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.