Day 26 of Illumination: A summary.
- araratchurch
- Oct 27, 2022
- 3 min read
25 Days of
“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”
Philippians 3:10-11 NLT
The ecclesiastical writer grapples with the vanities associated with our temporal life. At the end of this thought journey he offers an abrupt and brief summation:
“That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NLT
Basically, he is saying that the journey, the search for meaning per se, is meaningless. Our meaning is found in our service, our relationship with our Creator, our Father. That is, the ecclesiastical writer is basically saying to forget everything he has said and stick to fearing God, obeying Him, while remembering that our reward is with Him.
In our “25 Days of Illumination” we have been reminded that true enlightenment is found only in Jesus. You see, the Lord took on flesh and dwelt among us. He reclaimed for us the sonship we had squandered. He now shepherds us into the path of righteousness, into the green pastures of His provision, and into the refreshing springs of living water: His Holy Spirit. Our part in the process is to humbly submit to His instruction, allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our thinking from that of a mere mortal, to that of a son of God.
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:1-2 NLT
I encourage you to go back over these days we have had together. I can affirm to you with all sincerity of heart that these words contain instruction from the Holy Spirit for us all.
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29 NLT
We are living in perilous times. Yet even within the context of imminent judgment, we can be at peace, having found our hope in the Lord. As we cling to Him, we will find that we are being transformed into His very image. Let’s forsake all vain searches for meaning or quests for knowledge not dispensed from our Lord.
Let us truly seek the enlightenment, the illumination, that comes from Him before darkness falls.
“Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls and the terrible day of the Lord’s anger begins. Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you—protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.”
Zephaniah 2:2-3 NLT
Indeed, let us go on to know the Lord!
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