Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 4 Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you.

Sunrise is a beautiful time of day.  One of the joys of the changing seasons and the practice of changing our clocks with daylight savings time is that a sunrise can remain a regular part of my morning ritual.   Even in the dog days of summer when the sun rises super early, I’m always up for it.  What about you?  Not everyone is a “morning person” but we can all arise and shine!

Fun Fact of Light:  Sunlight and you!  While we’re living in an age of sunscreens, skin cancer, and dermatologists warning about the negative effects of the sun, there are benefits too.  Aside from our bodies naturally producing Vitamin D in response to sunlight, a moderate exposure to the sun in the early hours of the day when the UV rays are mitigated by the angle of the sun (i.e. the greater amount of atmosphere the rays must pass through)–this can actually help with your mood if you suffer from a condition known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).  According to WebMD,  “Experts aren’t sure what causes SAD. But they think it may be caused by a lack of sunlight. Lack of light may:

·       Upset your “biological clock,” which controls your sleep-wake pattern and other circadian rhythms.

·       Cause problems with serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood.”

Why is it good to arise and shine in a physical sense?  Health and safety!  Just like in the spiritual sense!   It’s true that you can get a sunburn at any time of sun exposure, but according to the EPA, “Nearly half of UV radiation is received between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are the strongest” … so sunrise exposure is preferable because “The atmosphere has a very strong effect on UVB rays – where there is less ozone, more UVB radiation can reach Earth’s surface. UVB rays cause sunburns, skin cancer, skin aging, snow blindness and can lower your body’s ability to fight illness.”

For further thought:

Do you arise and shine?  Even if you’re a late sleeper, do you start your day with the Word of God and/or in prayer?  There’s no better way to have the glory of the LORD rise upon you and be a bright light for those you know.  There’s no greater protection for your soul and no better aid for your spirit than to arise and shine.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your Light which shines on us and illuminates our hearts.  Thank You for the light of knowledge, light of hope, and light of salvation we find in You.  Your love is perfect.  Your light is glorious!  We thank You for Your goodness and mercy! Amen.

If there’s a passage of Scripture that points like a laser to the Messiah, it’s this one:

Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

There is a laser-like precision to this prophecy.  It’s easy on this side of the Cross to know that Jesus fulfills it perfectly.  When you point people to this Messianic Laser Light, the truth of the Gospel will be unmistakable.  Shine your light on the Savior and His work on the Cross.

Fun Fact of Light:  Lasers.  The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility & Photon Science page offers this helpful analysis about lasers:

 “Laser” is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. A laser is created when the electrons in atoms in special glasses, crystals, or gases absorb energy from an electrical current or another laser and become “excited.” The excited electrons move from a lower-energy orbit to a higher-energy orbit around the atom’s nucleus. When they return to their normal or “ground” state, the electrons emit photons (particles of light).

These photons are all at the same wavelength and are “coherent,” meaning the crests and troughs of the light waves are all in lockstep. In contrast, ordinary visible light comprises multiple wavelengths and is not coherent.

Laser light is different from normal light in other ways as well. First, its light contains only one wavelength (one specific color). The particular wavelength of light is determined by the amount of energy released when the excited electron drops to a lower orbit. Second, laser light is directional. Whereas a laser generates a very tight beam, a flashlight produces light that is diffuse. Because laser light is coherent, it stays focused for vast distances, even to the moon and back.”

For Further Thought:

How ought the light of life, the fact of the resurrection of Christ, focus all of Christianity on the same wavelength?  Does it always?  Why or why not?

Father God, we thank You for the powerful Light of Jesus Christ who is the Name above all Names, the King of kings and Lord of lords.  We praise You for His perfect sacrifice, forever setting a focus upon the sinful nature of man and the beautiful, merciful love of God.  Thank You for sending Jesus to die for our sins and for the prophecies in Scripture that were fulfilled in His first advent.  Grant us humble hearts and watchful eyes as we wait for His return we’ve been assured will happen in the same way as He ascended to heaven.  Until that day, may we always be about Your work, putting aside our Christian differences on things which are superficial and focusing instead on first things.  Amen.

God doesn’t do Plan B.  God has never developed a Plan B in case His original plan didn’t work out.  Jesus isn’t a measure-twice-cut-once kind of guy.  God’s ways are perfectly conceived, perfectly executed, and achieve exactly what God wants … even with the Jews first and then Gentiles.  

So why didn’t God just go straight to the Gentiles instead of fiddling on the roof with the Jews as chosen people?

God gives His own answer for what the Suffering Servant (Jesus) would do when in Isaiah 49:6 he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Indeed, when Jesus came and opened the scroll at the beginning of His ministry, He opened to a passage in Isaiah 61 describing the Year of the Lord’s Favor, and perfectly reflects Isaiah 42:6 “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” 

The Light of the World, Jesus Christ, was sent as a covenant—proved faithful and true—for the Jews and as God’s perfect, faithful, and true Light for the Gentiles.

Fun Fact of Light:  Reflection and Refraction.  According to Jim Lucas, contributor at Live Science, “When people look into a mirror, they see an image of themselves behind the glass. That image results from light rays encountering the shiny surface and bouncing back, or reflecting, providing a “mirror image.” People commonly think of the reflection as being reversed left to right; however, this is a misconception. If you face north and look straight into a mirror, the east side of your face is still on the east side of the image, and the same is true for the west side. The mirror does not reverse the image left to right; it reverses it front to back. For example, if you are facing north, your reflection is facing south.” 

Reflection and refraction—two types of geometric optics—are useful in creating telescopes.  George Mason University’s Physics Department, in a great power point pdf explains,  “The fundamental purpose of any telescope is to gather more light than the unaided eye can.  In many cases telescopes are used to produce images far brighter and sharper than the eye alone could ever record.  A refracting telescope uses a lens to concentrate incoming light at a focus. Lenses bend different colors of light through different angles, just as a prism does … If the telescope designer carefully chooses two different kinds of glass for two lenses that make up the one, different colors of light can be brought to a focus at the same point.”  Modern technology of special optical mirrors are used in, for example, the Hubble Space Telescope using the same concepts of geometric optics.

For Further Thought:  Read Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.

How does this fulfill the covenant God made to Abraham in Genesis 17:4-5?

Thank You, Father, for Your perfect plan of salvation to include people from many nations, tribes, and tongues.  For all the beautiful diversity in humanity, we thank You Father.  Thank You that Jesus alone is the focus of our salvation.  In Him alone, do we have hope, both Jews and Gentiles..  In Christ alone, we see Your Light in its clearest, brightest, most perfect Image, Jesus, who reflects Your goodness, love, and glory.  Amen.

Depending on who you talk to and their love or hatred of God, the actions of God get filtered by our faith.  Some people blame God for everything bad and don’t give Him credit for anything good.  Then there are others who give God credit for everything good, but for some reason don’t want to give God credit for the bad stuff too. 

Why is that?

Scripture says God does both. 

(Aaaaiieeee!  And all the good little Christians throw up their hands and get confused.)  Hold your fire.  There’s an answer. 

But first we must acknowledge this truth:

I form the light and create darkness,  I bring prosperity and create disaster;    I, the LORD, do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7)

All the way back at Creation, God created Light.  There’s Nothing Like It!  But when He created light, He also separated it out from what was “not light” and that was darkness (what God eventually called ”night”).

Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning– the first day.

When God creates (or brings) something defined as prosperity, whatever is “not prosperity” can be separated out and defined as disaster.  In some respects, it’s like an empty category that—on this side of the fall of man—gets filled automatically with what comes naturally to a sinful world.  It probably isn’t called default for nothing <cue vaudeville rimshot>.

But even that doesn’t let God off the hook.  People don’t want to see God as anything besides a God of love.  But He’s also a God of justice and a just God can’t love people and allow to go unpunished all that bad stuff that happens to his beloved ones.  The Christian sees God through these two simultaneous lenses, like polarizing filters, and the image we’re left with is the Cross.  It is there that God showed His love and His wrath simultaneously.  God revealed Himself in 3-D.

Fun fact of light:  3-D films. According to the Physics Classroom, “Polarization is also used in the entertainment industry to produce and show 3-D movies. Three-dimensional movies are actually two movies being shown at the same time through two projectors …The movies are projected through a polarizing filter.”

For further thought:  The BBC has a great video explaining 3-D films.  It’s a fantastic analogy for stereoscopic vision which helps us to visualize how God can show love and wrath at the same time.  How He can bring light and darkness, prosperity and disaster into real life on this side of the Cross.  Yet, to the Christian’s mind, the images just get processed together as God’s redemptive nature.

• How does God make even the bad stuff redemptive? 
• For insight, read Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 

Thank You, Jesus, for displaying the Image of God perfectly on the Cross!  Fully God.  Fully Man. Fully Love.  Full wrath against sin.  Complete humanity.  Complete sacrifice.  Complete justice.  We could not see the light before Your resurrection, but now, LORD, grant that we would never minimize our sin, we would never diminish Your gift of love and mercy, and that we would never try to make You a god of our own designing.  Help us to submit under Your mighty hand and to repent of our sin which grieves You.  May we walk in righteousness for Your Name’s sake and for Your glory.  You alone are God.  Amen.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:2)

Throughout this devotional series, we’ve been looking at Light: There’s Nothing Like It.  It’s more than an amazing creation.  It’s a great metaphor for so many aspects of the Christian faith.  Perhaps none so profound as this prophecy from Isaiah 9, foretelling the birth of the Messiah and the role He would have. 

Jesus, the Light of the World, brings salvation to a people who have been living in darkness. 

Indeed, a light has dawned.

Think about how many ways we use phrases, clichés, and idioms in the English language to convey a time of ignorance turning into a time of knowledge.  We might say that someone sees the light.  An idea has dawned on them.  A light bulb went on.  The secret needs some sunshine, or an expert to shed light on a situation.  A light at the end of a tunnel.  Or to bring something to light. 

A light dawned upon the Messianic expectations in the birth, life, and death of Jesus—human expectations of who He was and what He would do.  Those expectations unmet led a cheering crowd from Palm Sunday to call for His crucifixion on Good Friday.  It was only after His resurrection that the light truly dawned on His disciples and they began to understand God’s desire that all mankind would be saved, not just the chosen few.

Fun Fact of Light:  Because light has direction as waves, it can also be filtered kind of like beams of sunlight streaming through blinds or a picket fence.  Polarized sunglasses operate on the same principle, blocking some rays but allowing some to pass through: “Light waves from the sun, or even from an artificial light source such as a light bulb, vibrate and radiate outward in all directions. Whether the light is transmitted, reflected, scattered or refracted, when its vibrations are aligned into one or more planes of direction, the light is said to be polarized.”

The fun videos in the prior link and another group here demonstrate the impact of polarization upon light and even colors of light:   http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/light/Lesson-1/Polarization  .

For further thought:  A concept called Universalism states that all people will be saved, but that’s not what the Bible teaches.  Just as a light source reaches out in all directions, not all waves will pass through a polarized filter.  The Bible says that some refuse to see the light and sadly, rebel to the very end.  Only those who confess Christ are saved.  How does faith in Jesus act as a polarizing filter?

For insight, read Matthew 10:22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Thank You, Father, for Your plan of salvation as for the Jews, but a light to the Gentiles, too.  We praise You for Your perfect plan.  We praise You for this mystery which unfolded at the birth, life, and death of Your Son Jesus and for the way You will bring the dawn of a new day when He returns and we understand fully.  We ask that You would use us to bring the light of the Gospel to a world in darkness so that among those who do not presently believe, a light will dawn and they will see Your goodness and mercy.  Amen.

Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. (Proverbs 4:18)

Fixed in Scripture is the idea that Wisdom is so desirable, we should embrace it at all costs.  In fact, chapters 1-9 of the Book of Proverbs talk about the merits of Wisdom.  What light is to our visual sight, Wisdom is to our spiritual sight.  We need full light, complete Wisdom.  Light is a great metaphor!

As we embrace the light of knowledge, that benefit of Wisdom, it will grow on us until we’re living as wise people in full light.  Shining ever brighter as it says in verse 18.  Today is the first gleam compared to eternity’s full light.

Our job is to walk in the way of righteousness so that as many people as possible will see the first gleam. Together, as a growing community called the Church, we glory in increasing brightness today and the full light of the coming New Jerusalem.

Fun fact of light:  We’ve seen before that humans can see a visible spectrum of light that involves colors.  But did you know the colors of light on our computers or smartphones may contribute to eye strain, changed biochemical profiles in our bodies, and ruin our sleep?

Authors Skye Gould and Kevin Loria, Tech Insider writers for Business Insider suggest that’s why the iPhone developers came up with “Night Shift” which is a setting allowing a warmer range of colors.  They write,

In general, looking at your phone at night is a terrible idea.

Smartphone screens emit bright blue light so you can see them even at the sunniest times of day.

But at night, your brain gets confused by that light, as it mimics the brightness of the sun. This causes the brain to stop producing melatonin, a hormone that gives your body the “time to sleep” cues. Because of this, smartphone light can disrupt your sleep cycle, making it harder to fall and stay asleep — and potentially causing serious health problems along the way.

For further thought:

Is your light dimly burning or are you displaying the light of Christ as shining ever brighter?

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Thank You, Jesus that Your light guides us to Wisdom.  Thank You for the privilege of sharing You with other people.  May we never forget the beautiful invitation to full light of Wisdom in relationship with you.  An invitation of grace, that unmerited favor which (by definition) we did nothing to deserve.  Thank You that while we were still sinners, You died for our sins.  We praise You and we thank You, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

Psalm 139:7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you … 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Issues of light and darkness are no obstacle for God.  It’s not like He has X-ray vision.  He can just see everywhere, all the time, and He knows everything.  For that reason, when Scripture says that “darkness is as light to Him” we can understand that to mean that He is inescapable.  There is no place we can go to escape Him and nothing we can do that He can’t see.

How does it make you feel that God can see everything? 

We can get upset that the NSA can see into our homes and listen in on our conversations.  God can do it without equipment, technology, and even without a warrant (ahem).  And His memory is flawless.  Darkness—perhaps an issue for some types of NSA surveillance—is no obstacle for God.  It’s like He has one of those night vision goggles on … except He doesn’t need them.

Fun Fact of Light:  According to How Stuff Works (Tech), author Jeff Tyson writes :

“The first thing you probably think of when you see the words night vision is a spy or action movie you’ve seen, in which someone straps on a pair of night-vision goggles to find someone else in a dark building on a moonless night. And you may have wondered “Do those things really work? Can you actually see in the dark?”

The answer is most definitely yes. With the proper night-vision equipment, you can see a person standing over 200 yards (183 m) away on a moonless, cloudy night! Night vision can work in two very different ways, depending on the technology used.

Image enhancement – This works by collecting the tiny amounts of light, including the lower portion of the infrared light spectrum, that are present but may be imperceptible to our eyes, and amplifying it to the point that we can easily observe the image.

Thermal imaging – This technology operates by capturing the upper portion of the infrared light spectrum, which is emitted as heat by objects instead of simply reflected as light. Hotter objects, such as warm bodies, emit more of this light than cooler objects like trees or buildings.”

For further thought: 

• Read all of Psalm 139.  It’s often used to support the pro-life position in the abortion debate.  How might God’s ability to see all that we do speak to that debate?
• How might the obstacle of vision in darkness be resolved?  For insight, read 1 Corinthians 13:12 “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” and also Revelation 21:23 “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.”

Thank You, Father, that even though You see all things and know all things, yet you do not count men’s sins against them once they’ve been forgiven in Christ.  Thank You for Your great love to those who fear You and for removing our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:11-14)   Thank You for Your compassion upon us even though we are dust and a breath, here today and gone tomorrow. 

If you’ve ever wanted a psalm to identify all the virtues of the law, Psalm 119 would be it.  One of the virtues extolled in this acrostic (alphabetic) psalm is that the law gives light.   It’s the unfolding light of understanding.  When the beauty and effectiveness of the law are examined and applied, well, this inspection opens up a whole new understanding.  God’s words in Scripture, unfolded and explained, give light.

Truth be told, I sometimes get a little sad at not preaching anymore.  For a while, I was preaching every week instead of listening to someone else do it.  It’s one of the tragic flaws of ministry that when one is gifted for preaching/teaching, it’s kind of tough to listen to other people do it.  Even pulpit pastors who can hit the target within the first 20 minutes of trying still present the pew-preacher (kind of like an armchair quarterback) with plenty of opportunity to second guess, act as an analyst, and generally spend the time drifting into how they would present it differently, or maybe better.

We’re supposed to be listening for learning.  To have that unfolding light, the light of understanding impact our lives.  After all, the whole point of listening to a sermon is to have it open the Word to understanding, right?

God desires we listen, we learn, and that the exposition and preaching of His Word will give us light of understanding!

Fun Fact of Light:  The Chandra X-Ray Observatory at Harvard tells this story about X-rays and the ability to see through to details otherwise invisible to the naked eye.   

“A new form of radiation was discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Roentgen, a German physicist. He called it X-radiation to denote its unknown nature. This mysterious radiation had the ability to pass through many materials that absorb visible light. X-rays also have the ability to knock electrons loose from atoms. Over the years these exceptional properties have made X-rays useful in many fields, such as medicine and research into the nature of the atom.  Eventually, X-rays were found to be another form of light.”

There’s something mysterious about X-rays, especially for writers of science fiction stories or superhero comics.  In them, X-ray vision is usually an ability to see through solid objects at the selective choice of the one having this superpower (e.g. notable and iconic Superman of DC Comics).

According to Chad Orzel, physics contributor at Forbes who was enjoying exposing the notion of X-ray vision,

“Medical X-ray images aren’t made by focusing light to make an image, they’re made by putting the detector directly behind the target and blasting x-rays at it.  Really, they are just the shadows cast by stuff in front of them, like one of those photosensitive walls you see at science museums.”

For further study:

In the Bible there were plenty of people who heard the Word but never had it unfolded.  Their spiritual blindness hardened their hearts to where they couldn’t see the light.  Read Luke 8.  How did Jesus speaking in parables accomplish this?  His disciples asked Jesus to explain.  Luke 8:10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'”

Read Nehemiah 8:1-12.  In it, Ezra reads the Book of the Law.  Note the reactions people had to the Word of God giving them light of understanding.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.  (Psalm 119:105)

Surrounded by a world of darkness, a lamp isn’t just helpful, it’s necessary for vision, for safety, and for direction on the way to go. 

About the need for a lamp, I have a fond childhood memory that began with a terrible storm that came through Chicagoland when I was in the 1^st or 2^nd grade.  Chicago is not called the Windy City for nothing and throughout Illinois, some storms produce enough twisters to consider it part of “Tornado Alley.”  During one of these storms, the electric power went out at our house. 

It was night.  It was dark.  The wind was howling.  It was truly scary.

My dad brought out a kerosene lantern and set it on the table. 

I’m not sure why we had it or when we got it.  But I remember his setting it on the table in the kitchen and it lit the entire room.  Our whole family played board games since there wasn’t much else to do to pass the time as a family while we distracted ourselves from the sound of the storm.

Light can make all the difference. 

True to the title of the devotional series for Lent, there’s nothing like it to our physical sight, in the realm of physics, of nature, or as a parallel to spiritual sight. The Bible tells us that God’s Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.  With it, we can see.  We can avoid stumbling blocks.  We can walk in safety and confidence, and know where we’re going. 

Just as all our neighbors wondered if we had power because they could see the light from our kerosene lantern, people will wonder why our lives have power, direction, and purpose when we walk by the light of His Word as a lamp to our feet.

Fun fact of light:  The Miner’s Cap Lamp.  According to the National Museum of American History,

The depth, the dark, and the dangers inherent in mining created a uniquely dangerous working environment for the miner. Miners faced death from collapsing mines, oxygen deprivation, and haulage accidents, with the specter of fatal lung disease remaining even after the miner had left the mines. But the most instantaneous and catastrophic loss of life was caused by explosions due to miner’s lamps igniting methane gas.

A miner’s light was essential to their labor. Without light there was no sight, no work, and no wages. But this essential light was also lethal. Open flames could ignite the inflammable gas especially prevalent in coal mines …

After a series of mining explosions from open flames Congress authorized the U.S. Bureau of Mines (1910) which “turned their attention to the new technology of electric lamps in an effort to curtail accidents through the elimination of flames and an improvement in lighting. In 1915 the Bureau approved the MSA Edison Flameless Electric Miners’ Cap Lamp, beginning the age of electric mine illumination that correlated with a steady decrease in mining accidents.”

For further thought:

• Consider that God’s Word as a lamp brings safety and hope yet there’s also something dangerous about it.  It’s dangerous to a way of life that grieves God when employed by one who genuinely desires to follow Christ.
• Read Ephesians 4:17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. 20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 
• A miner’s livelihood was based upon the weight of coal mined.  Considering the reward of light for our path, can we see why a miner, like a Christian, might consider productivity a worthwhile tradeoff for the danger of having a lamp to light our way and make us effective?

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the convicting power of Your Holy Spirit.  For the way He applies Your Word to our lives as a lamp to our feet.  For the way He guides us toward righteousness and preserves us from the dangers and stumbling blocks.  May we always have teachable hearts and spiritual sight in Christ.  Amen.