I had an opportunity to travel to Europe during the summer of 1974 with some friends from college. One of the highlights was to get to visit the famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. It was beautiful in every way. The architecture, the sculptures and most of all the stained-glass windows. We stumbled onto a group tour that
was being led by a docent, and he was telling us about each of the windows in that great building. He pointed out that the windows showed representations of different Christian images, characters and stories. At the time it was built, the majority of people could not read the Bible because of widespread illiteracy. And so, for them, coming into the cathedral became a kind of “Bible time” for them. They were beautiful and I could easily tell the different messages and stories that were being told through them. The thing about them was that they couldn’t be seen after dark and they could be hard to make out on cloudy days. For the stained-glass window to do their job of communicating the truths and promises of God…they needed light. Light is always the secret ingredient for unveiling the truths of the Bible. Some days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph brought him into the temple to be dedicated and Luke records a man named Simeon who takes Jesus in his arms and says, “He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” God’s reality and his truth and his being are like those stained-glass windows. They are always there. But at the right time God, who became flesh entered physically into the realm of humanity and the light revealed God to humanity. This Jesus brought light to what was always there, and it was given to us through he who was and is the way, the truth and the life. Look to he who is the light…and see the revelation of the God of creation and redemption and life. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Luke 2:29-32 NLT “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. (30) I have seen your salvation, (31) which you have prepared for all people. (32) He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ
was being led by a docent, and he was telling us about each of the windows in that great building. He pointed out that the windows showed representations of different Christian images, characters and stories. At the time it was built, the majority of people could not read the Bible because of widespread illiteracy. And so, for them, coming into the cathedral became a kind of “Bible time” for them. They were beautiful and I could easily tell the different messages and stories that were being told through them. The thing about them was that they couldn’t be seen after dark and they could be hard to make out on cloudy days. For the stained-glass window to do their job of communicating the truths and promises of God…they needed light. Light is always the secret ingredient for unveiling the truths of the Bible. Some days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph brought him into the temple to be dedicated and Luke records a man named Simeon who takes Jesus in his arms and says, “He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” God’s reality and his truth and his being are like those stained-glass windows. They are always there. But at the right time God, who became flesh entered physically into the realm of humanity and the light revealed God to humanity. This Jesus brought light to what was always there, and it was given to us through he who was and is the way, the truth and the life. Look to he who is the light…and see the revelation of the God of creation and redemption and life. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Luke 2:29-32 NLT “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. (30) I have seen your salvation, (31) which you have prepared for all people. (32) He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ