From Shadows to Grace and Love

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."                                    (Ephesians 5:8-14 New International Version (NIV)

Christ shines into our hearts and reveals to us those shameful, sinful things that we need to turn our backs on. When we were in darkness, all was dark and we could not see or understand; or we refused to see or understand our sin. But in comes the Holy Spirit and shadows begin to appear as He gently reveals our discretion to us with the growing light.

This is a beautiful way -- not to shock us or startle us suddenly with the magnitude of our sin; but that our eyes would begin to squint as we begin to see the contrast -- what the light has to offer compared to the darkness we've been living in. I think if it were revealed to us all at once, we would be so frightened by it that we would not comprehend the grace being offered. So we wake up slowly, allowing the Holy Spirit to do the work. 

How gentle is the Dove -- and how powerful His work -- and how deep and wide is the love of the Father for His children. And how changed we are!

Come, Holy Spirit, Come.