Heavenly Light

As we continue, conscious that we need to be rescued from the demanding self in us, we follow what’s happening in the cell where Peter is. The angel, God’s heavenly servant, comes with his light, for he is light. If the heavenly servant is of God, then he is of light, for God is Light. In other words, he does not come holding a torchlight or a lamp in his hands, as people do when they are entering a dark space. He does not carry his light on his forehead as miners do, for example. No! He is light, so that he carries light wherever he goes. The Word of God is His messenger, for the Word does not just carry light; the Word is Light. God’s Word is never darkness, so that when our Lord sends His Living Word, it is always light to all who will see and receive Him. Heavenly Light has come to us.

As soon as the heavenly servant of God enters the darkness, there is light. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison. Acts 12: 7a. KJV.  Indeed, this messenger of God was not shining a light, he was the light that was shining.

Here is something before us. In that cell, which was not at all brightly lit up, are two soldiers and one prisoner, yet the light never moved anyone of them. In other words, light entered, but the guards of the prisoner, never moved a muscle. Did they see the light standing there with them, in that cell? Obviously not. Can light enter where I am, and I be blind to it? O yes! Definitely yes, because, if I am blind, I cannot see it and thus I am dead to the light before me.

Jesus has spoken plainly about this blindness, which is found in callous, stubborn, evil hearts. These are people whose ears are dull of hearing and who have closed their eyes to avoid truth. For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed. Matthew 13: 15a KJV. The soldiers or guards represent those of us who have not given our lives to Jesus and whose hearts remain callously disobedient to the Way, the Truth and the Life. Light has come, but we prefer darkness to light. They are those of us who have not accepted Jesus in our lives, as He wills and wants to be accepted. Are you dead to the present Light with you, because you are spiritually blind to it and cannot see? 

Are we like Peter, a believer, a servant of the Lord, one of sound faith and trust in the Lord? Peter is a faithful servant and disciple of Jesus, but look at it. He too is dead to the light shining in the cell, because he is sleeping. To be sleeping means that you will miss the light, for when you are asleep you miss it all.

Once, when Jesus was speaking His wisdom and alerting His hearers about being watchful and not sleeping, He said this. Be on your guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. Mark 13: 33. Then Jesus goes on to be more specific and detailed. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back – whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch! Mark 13:  35 – 37.

Peter, the servant and prisoner for Jesus, represents those of us who have given our lives to Jesus and whose hearts remain sincerely fixed on following the Way, the Truth and the Life. However, in our prisons of self, our dark places, our subdued places, light has come, but we are fast asleep from the weariness and weightiness of life’s trials. Alas, we are dead to the light that has entered our situation. Are you dead to the present light with you, because you are spiritually asleep and cannot see?

Neither the two soldiers nor Peter, knew that the light of the Lord had entered and was there with them. What we all need to know as believers, is that we must never be smug and self-righteous about our relationship with Jesus, for sleep can catch us at any time and it may be the time when the light shines in our dismal places.