Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8.12)

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” James, the brother of Jesus, wrote these words. It seems that this is an area of our lives easily attacked. Whether conceit or pain, we have a tendency to remove the good and perfect gifts from the Giver. We act as if we’ve earned our own blessings, or we half-heartedly thank the Father of Lights for shining His sincere blessing on us.

“The Father of Lights.” Such a luminous and interesting description of God the Father. In Him there is no turning, no shadow. He shines on His creation and showers us with the radiance of His beauty. Reflecting on James’ words, was he remembering his mother’s son standing in the temple proclaiming Himself as the light of the world. Jesus, the light of the world, the brilliance of God’s love. He is the unquenchable blaze of the Father’s passion for His creation.

Jesus is like the light on a summer day. We know it did not originate in the earth or emerge from the shadows. The light and all its heat has emanated from the sun. It has come near to us, not the other way around. Truly, the closer we get to the sun, or even expose ourselves to its piercing rays, the more we burn away. And Jesus, the perfect gift from the Father, increases in us as we decrease.

Jesus, consume me in the fire of Your eternal light.