God Knew the Price – God Paid the Price

For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake; seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 (WEB)

Christianity for me is belief in God and following Christ’s example or imitating Jesus in that belief that brings eternal life. I was looking at the words ‘light’ and ‘darkness’ in the Bible and in every passage I read tjat ‘light’ is associated with knowledge of God and His truth whereas ‘darkness’ is where God is not and denotes a lack of the knowledge of God. This makes sense in the practical application in my life. When I am on God’s path, no matter what the circumstances, there is ‘right-ness’ and peace. The picture of the moment is clear even though I may not be able to see past the moment. When I am ‘off’ God’s path, my world seems gray and lacks light to provide a clear image. I confess that when I am in that gray place that I stumble around and feel a ‘panic’ rise up in me and yet I hesitate to walk toward the ‘light’ that is always there because that means I will have to walk away from my way or what I want. I even have wonderful brothers and sisters who reflect God’s light to me, consciously or unconsciously leading me towards His light and still I hesitate to leave my darkness. Funny, huh? No, not really.

Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yahweh.

This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter into it.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.

This is Yahweh’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!

Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg you, send prosperity now.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh!

We have blessed you out of the house of Yahweh.

Yahweh is God, and he has given us light.

Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you.

You are my God, I will exalt you. Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. Psalm 118:19-29 (WEB)

Notice it says here that God “has given us light”. It is no coincidence. God wants me to walk in His light. He wants me to know the Truth. It is not a game to Him. My life in Him is something He wants me to be successful in doing! He puts His way, His truth, His life out there with bright lights and big singns that say, “This way! Over here!” When I am on a trip down an unknown highway, I will not miss the exit when I am looking for it! It’s when I am talking and paying little attention or paying attention is secondary to what I am doing – that is when I miss the exit and end up lost and back-tracking!

Thus says God Yahweh, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it. “I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations; to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison. Isaiah 42:5-7 (WEB)How great is the love that the Father has for us, His children!