It is not produced by man

Isaiah 60:1-3

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

As followers of Christ, it has never been our light, but the glory of the LORD is the light of Jesus Christ that has brought each of us from darkness to the light.  Isaiah is addressing the chosen people coming out of slavery and returning to Jerusalem, not the great city of the past but a city in need of much help.  Isaiah is telling them by looking to the LORD they will become a light and God’s glory will be seen upon them.

The light God is or has sent into your heart is not produced by man, its source can be found in John’s gospel the first chapter, verses 9 – 14,  “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  Sometime later the apostle John proclaims these words of Jesus; “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Seventy-two years is not a lot of history, but I can witness that it’s sure getting dark, sin is no longer called sin, we now call it a mistake, or bad judgment, but when you spend months planning an act and get caught that is not a mistake but a sinful act.  Many who go by the title of Christian are involved in all kinds of sinful acts.  It reminds me of coming out of the bright light into the darkness of a restaurant in Mexico after a day with my friend and mentor Jack Archer and a pastor friend of his.  When we entered the darkness of the restaurant, we could not see anyone sitting around us but the longer we stayed, the darkness became light, and people were all around us.  The pastor pointed out to me that this was danger for a Christian, for the longer we stay in the darkness the more our heart will grow accustom to the darkness.  I believe many in the Church have stayed in the darkness and the cares and the customs of this world have stolen their light.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice