The light of salvation
“the Lord said: It is too small a thing that you should just be my servant to raise up only the tribes of Jacob and to restore the ones I have preserved in Israel, so I will appoint you to be a light for the nations, so that my salvation will be known to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6c)
“It is so dark. I can’t see anything.”
A person who doesn’t know about Jesus or what he has done is living in spiritual darkness—spiritual separation from God. That is what unbelief is. It is darkness—spiritual darkness. There is no light, no forgiveness, no salvation, no hope, no peace, no joy.
When we as believers were born, we inherited spiritual blindness—spiritual darkness—and if we would have remained in that darkness, we would have been lost forever. That is what sin has done to us.
The worst thing about this darkness is that we are unable to turn the light of salvation on by ourselves. If by chance we realize our sinfulness, we might ask, “Why doesn’t someone turn on the lights?” or “Is there anyone out there who can remove this darkness, remove this guilt, remove this hopelessness, remove this separation from God?”
The answer is YES.
- The one who was appointed as “the light for the nations.”
- The one who has brought salvation to all people of the world.
- The one who was conceived by the Holy Spirit as the true God yet born of a virgin as a true man.
- This is the one of whom Simeon spoke as he was holding the baby Jesus in his arms: “Lord, you now dismiss your servant in peace, according to your word, because my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2: 29-32).
When you were baptized with the water and the Word, the light of faith was turned on. The blindness of unbelief was turned off, and spiritual life began. You received what Jesus did for you when he lived, suffered, died and rose again for you. Salvation is yours. Forgiveness is yours. Eternal hope is yours. Eternal peace is yours. Eternal joy is yours. The eternal light has been turned on for you. You and I need to grow in this light. Continue to use the means of Grace, the Gospel in the Word, and Sacraments.
Also, don’t keep this salvation to yourself. Share this good news with those who are still in darkness of unbelief.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for being my Savior. By your Holy Spirit, you brought me out of the darkness of unbelief to the light of salvation. Keep me in this light of salvation, and guide and direct me with your Word and sacraments. Help me to share this Gospel message to the ends of the earth. Amen.