Father of Lights

 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” – 1 John 1:5

God has declared about Himself that He is Light; there is no darkness in Him. What does this mean? What we know of light is that it is powerful- more powerful than darkness. Where the light is, darkness must vanish, for darkness is the absence of light. Simply put, dark and light cannot co-exist.

Light is life to all of creation. It is the most important source of energy in the world. Through light, photosynthesis occurs as plants create food and release oxygen into the air for us to breathe. The light from the sun warms the earth and regulates the climate. Light reveals, heals, illuminates, and causes growth.

In His wisdom and kindness, God has given us this word to describe what He is like. He is light, “and in Him there is no darkness at all.” As light is the foundation for all of creation’s processes, so God, through the Person of Christ the Creator and Sustainer, is the One in Whom, and through Whom, all of life exists.

“He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

– Colossians 1:15-17

James, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, calls God the “Father of Lights”,

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

– James 1:17

God is called the “Father of Lights” because He is the Creator of them. They reflect His glory. Their rays of light travel forth from them in straight lines – just as His character is always right and just. God’s perfect nature, holy, without any taint of darkness, stain of sin, or hint of ill motive, shines brilliantly, not bending to the whim of any external influence. The word “holy” means “sacredness, apartness, separateness”; His holiness is His beauty! In His unchanging, radiant holiness, and just perfection, He gives good and perfect gifts.

Our understanding of gifts is far from God’s definition. We think of gifts from an earthly perspective: stuff, temporary pleasures, items that bring us momentary joy or happiness. But God’s gifts are eternal, “good and perfect”; What He gives is meant to benefit our lives by bringing us to maturity and completeness in Christ, because our greatest good is maturity in Him, through intimacy with Him. His affections produce eternal fruit in us.

Think of an infant. While we love to snuggle, hold, feed, and nurture babies, if they did not grow and mature, we would know that something was wrong. As our children grow, we must allow them to experience uncomfortable, challenging, or difficult circumstances within the loving safety and attachment of a healthy parent/child relationship, because we know that this will help them to learn, grow, and mature. If we, who are imperfect and sinful, can love our children enough to understand this fact and delight in their maturity, then infinitely more can our perfect Heavenly Father, in Whom there is no darkness or shadow, delight in our spiritual maturation as we learn to trust Him in the trials!

God’s good, maturity producing gifts reflect His good nature. His goodness is not based on our ability to believe that He is good. His goodness is an unchanging attribute of His Divine character – whether or not we believe it. Truth remains true, whether or not you and I believe it or agree with it. Truth is not subject to opinion; nor is God’s goodness subjected to the quantity of faith. He is simply, and fully, good.

He is good in the darkest of times when we are blinded by the grief and sorrow of tragedy and loss. He is good in the valley, when victory seems so far away. He is good in the loneliness of a crowd, when we think no one sees or understands our pain. He is good in the trauma of an abusive relationship, when we feel unloved and afraid. He is good in the overwhelming tide of temptation, when it seems there is no way out. He is good in the diagnosis, when fear of the unknown is knocking at the door. He is good in the bondage of addiction, when the chains seem too strong to break. No matter what circumstances we face, His goodness is there as the answer through it all.

In every season, His invitation is to draw near to Him Who is Light and Life. His invitation to trust His goodness is an invitation to intimacy and wholeness. His goodness is comfort, triumph, nearness, unconditional love, acceptance, provision, wisdom, tender mercy, grace, forgiveness, and infinitely more! Christ put on flesh, clothing Himself with frail humanity, in order to drink the cup of God’s wrath toward man’s sin. In exchange, He provides the nearness of God, through the sacrifice of His body, to all who receive Him by faith. Christ became our Substitute, enduring the most excruciating death, to invite us into the nearness of God. He understands our pain and suffering and has offered the Light of His Presence in the midst of it. Every trial, every struggle we encounter, can be turned to beauty if we will run into the strong arms of grace. As Charles Spurgeon has said, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.”

In the next hardship we encounter, may we remember that our Heavenly Father is Light; In Him, there is no darkness at all. If there is no darkness in Him, then He is ever-only, always, good. If He is always good, then He can be trusted to bring good through any circumstance by bringing us nearer to Himself. He is for us! This is His promise to everyone He calls to Himself in love:

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

– Romans 8:28-29

Father, I thank You that You are Light. There is no shadow of darkness or hint of anything evil in You. Because You are Light, You are good, and You only give good things. Help me to trust Your goodness and to lean deeper upon Your arms of grace when I encounter trials – knowing that You promise to bring me to maturity in Christ as I draw near to You. Thank You that You are always holding on to me, and that You always keep Your promises as part of Your goodness!