SCRIP-BITS

As the bright silver rays of the rising sun flare over the eastern horizon, heralding a new day, a new work week, all God’s people, fully dressed in their suit of spiritual armour, vigorously punch their arms heavenward and loudly proclaim the Monday Morning Battle Hymn: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to. Jobs that we might not like; jobs that might be unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but they serve a useful purpose on this our earthly journey; keeping lives, limbs and families together in fairly comfortable circumstances. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of spirit which allows us to now sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, where we’ll be constantly bombarded and buffeted by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know that the evil enemy can do us no harm once we’re surrounded by your powerful, protective aura. We humbly ask that you give your Holy Spirit charge over and guidance to each and every one of your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom here on planet earth. All this we pray in the name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ And Friends, that Amen was so powerful and stirring that it shook the earth and the heavens, and all living creatures stopped dead in their tracks and took notice. Wow! Oh my people, if we could only bring that scenario to fruition eh. What a wonderful statement we’d make for Christ! I also now realized that the stage we just set ties in very nicely with our Bit: ‘For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light we shall see light.’ It’s especially applicable to the second half that we’re looking at today. The glorious rising of the sun, bathing a dark world in bright light is eerily similar to the Light our Saviour Jesus brings to the dark souls that He saves. One moment those souls are lost in the darkness of sin, then in the next, Jesus quietly enters therein, and like He flicks a hidden switch and voila! That evil darkness is suddenly and thoroughly flooded by a brilliant light, by the joy, the salvation, the awakening that Jesus brings to those souls which truly believe and acknowledge Him as their Lord and Saviour. Oh Friends, what a revelation that is to those souls previously lost in iniquity! Sometimes the jolt, the shock, can be so powerful as to be frightening and unbelievable. But there’s nothing to be afraid of my brethren because light doesn’t bring fear, it drives it away. Darkness is the courier of fear. That’s why Bruh David could state with such conviction: ‘in thy light we shall see light.’ Oh Friends, there are so many connections in the Good Book between our God and light that I got confused trying to figure out what to use where. But through the Spirit’s wisdom and guidance, I eventually found a workable solution: today I’ll quote a few from the Old Testament, then tomorrow I’ll try and put a proper package together. I won’t have the Monday Morning Battle Hymn to worry about, so I’ll be able to do the light topic more justice. (smile) Now the two biggest purveyors of God and light in the Old Testament seem to be Isaiah and Bruh David. Hear some of their proclamations: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’ (Is.9:2) Isaiah is foretelling the birth of the Prince of Peace, Jesus. And on the future glory of Zion, he avidly declares: ‘Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.’ (Is.60:1-3) Meanwhile, Bruh David staunchly proclaims in Psalm 18; a thanksgiving for deliverance: ‘For thou wilt light my candle (lamp): the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.’ (Ps.18:28) And Friends, we all know that most famous proclamation of his: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps.27:1)Yes mih people, very fitting words for us to close with! Let’s seriously ponder them and take them to heart nuh. They will surely do us a lot of good in this topsy turvy world in which we live. Much LOVE!…oh, the light…the light…what glorious light Jesus brings to our dark and sinful souls…when we place our faith and trust in Him…