“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
— 2 Corinthians 4:6
Enlightenment is a paramount experience of the People of Light. But what exactly is “enlightenment”? What or Who is Light? What is darkness? What does it mean to be “enlightened”? The “Light and Darkness” series seeks to impart revelation or a deeper understanding of the nature of the God of Israel with relation to what we perceive as “reality”. This blogpost, Part IV of the series, is a short story filled with figurative language. I hope, my Star, that it puts you into character and life into perspective.
The Short Story
As you read, close your eyes in your mind (for you cannot read with your eyes closed!) Imagine my words as though they lift from this page and splash colour onto a blank black canvas before you.
Let us begin.
You are in a room too dark for shadows. Hundreds of layers of curtains block the tiniest glint from entering through its sole window. The curtains are black, so much so that you cannot perceive the veils that hinder you from truly seeing. Blindly, you shuffle forward.
In the room with you are antique furniture pieces. Darkness covers them like cloth, morphing them into disfigured statues with some semblance to bodies when fumbled with. From the corner of your eye, you glimpse something. A silhouette. A woman's, maybe. Too thin for flesh. You cannot shake the feeling of another presence a few feet away, to your right. You are uneasy. You are afraid. You are blind.
A sharp edge hits your shin hard as you walk past. You wince and bend over to nurse the ache. While doing so, you arbitrarily glance at a faint, flat surface. It blends into the wall, its outline too hard to decipher. You wonder how far to walk in order to arrive at your room's door. For a second, you question whether or not it is your room, and if the room has a door to begin with.
Suddenly, your thoughts are interrupted as a tiny stream of light appears nearby. As you peer curiously at it, you wonder where it came from, and contemplate following. Distractedly and softly walking closer, you do not notice that you are faintly heartened. Your eyes have lit up ever-so-slightly. You reach through the hole through which the stream of light came with your fingers, releasing a breath as velvety cloth brushes your hand. And finally...
Swoooh...
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
And God said, “Let there be...”
You open your eyes, squinted, for a moment. You feel for the next. Warmth. You sigh softly. Your shoulders, tensed, relax as brightness pours in. The soft white upon your face enkindles a warm smile. Heart filled with gladness. Face toward the Sun.
You turn around to meet the room you are in. Take a long look at the clothing rack in the corner of the room. The pillow nearby, donning a festive pillow case, grabs your attention. It is polychromatic; its cloth folds point at the— Ah, the door.
After taking in its grain, you look away to 'size up' your point of leg-sabotage. The wooden corner of your bed stares back. Blank. Inanimate. No longer a threat to your shin. How good it is to see things as they really are. Precious pearls on polished furnishing glimmer winningly upon carved wooden intricacies like stars around you. You are not afraid anymore, neither of your present, nor your future. You are sure of where you are going. You can see. Clearly, now.
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6
Want more Light? Follow me!
Comments
Post a Comment