The theme of our family service last night was ‘a place in the Son.’
Most people look forward to an annual holiday in the sun:
Suntans and fine weather are often seen as prerequisites to a good holiday, and certainly, the sun is essential to life, though we often take this for granted. Mal 4:2 says ‘the sun of righteousness will dawn on those who honour my name, healing radiating from its wings.’ Ultimately, we know that Jesus, the Son of God, is the light of the world (Jn 8:12) and we see two crucial functions of light.
- Light dispels darkness
- Light brings security
Jesus helps us to see things as they really are, bearing witness to the truth. Often, people are cynical about truth (like Pilate!), with lying and deception forming the basis of people’s dealings with each other. Such things destroy relationships; we need Jesus’ anchor of truth if we are to know light and life.
Darkness not only deceives us; it makes us anxious and fearful, for we cannot see dangers (or shapes become distorted, causing fear in our hearts.) When light floods in, it brings security and guards us from hurting ourselves. As we live in the light, we receive God’s energy and can ‘leap like calves released from their stalls.’ (Mal 4:2)