S43P4 – The God of understanding: our illuminator
Ephesians 4:17-18
So this I say, and solemnly affirm together with the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds, for their understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded; alienated and self-banished from the life of God because of the ignorance and spiritual blindness that is within them, because of the hardness and insensitivity of their heart.
It was a challenge within a challenge. Normally, the escape room might be dimly lit or even brightly lit. After all, it would be nearly impossible to complete puzzles that one cannot see. However, this room was different. After the wall behind the fireplace opened, three of us had to crawl in there and feel our way around in the dark. We could not see what we were doing, so we had to figure out how the items we could feel but not see went together in some way. It was a completely different challenge than the remainder of the room. Taking away our vision meant not only that we could not see what we were doing, but we could not even decipher what the puzzle was. Once completed, the lights came on and showed us exactly how simple it should have been.
Light is one of those things that we take for granted likely because we just expect to have it. Barring an outage or our stay in some remote area, we are used to seeing what is around us. Scripture tells us in many places of the darkness that surrounds and fills those who are lost in sin. In order for them to be illuminated, they must gain some understanding from the Lord. It starts with the “aha” moment when the unbeliever realizes the truth of who Jesus Christ is. The light bulb goes on and begins to shine brighter and brighter over time. As we grow in God’s understanding, we begin to see a world illuminated even if the world itself is still in darkness. We do not need to fumble around in the dark trying to complete the challenges of life. As God shares his understanding with us, He lights the way so that we can see what it is that we must complete.
Jesus is the light of the world. Scripture tells us that knowledge of the Holy One is understanding, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When we first believe in Jesus Christ and begin to fear Him, this light of the world begins to show us the reality around us and within us. It is like the rising of the sun at dawn after a long, long night. It is like one who has lived only in darkness and never even knew that light existed. When the world becomes illuminated, it is a completely different place. All of a sudden things start to make sense, and living this life successfully becomes possible. Father, thank You for the understanding that has illuminated our lives and made it possible to live according to your will.