"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase"
1 Corinthians 3:6
A Message From the Horne of Africa
"You Would Even Say It Glows"
12/21/2008
"Glow little glow worm, glimmer, glimmer. . ." Remember that old song? Isn't it paradoxical that glow worms glow, but glow plugs don't plug--they ignite fuel in a diesel engine combustion chamber. Have you ever wondered why Santa Claus didn't use the mythical Rudolf, the Red Nose Reindeer, facing backwards in the sled to serve as a red tail [nose?]light when Santa wanted to stop to make a delivery? If he were going to be out front, he should have been Rudolf, the Green Nose Reindeer. "Green" means "go" and, at the same time, it would have pleased the "Green Peace" ecologists. Seriously, glowing is a Biblical topic, but it is usually translated as "shine." Would it be appropriate to look into it at this season of the year when glowing lights are everywhere in bright profusion?
Have you ever watched the pre-dawn sun rising from its Eastern resting place? The increasing glow anticipates the break through of the crimson orb that soon peeps over the horizon. As the invincible sun resurrects a new day, it drives out before it the weakening darkness and floods the world with light and warmth. Wow, what a spectacle! The prophet Isaiah (60:1-3) compares this natural dispelling of the darkness to the coming glory of the Lord in the first advent. He says, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn." Peter elaborates on this when he says, "And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you would do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place [glowing in the darkness], until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts," 2 Peter 1:19. Jesus is that bright and morning star.
Just as the face of Moses glowed when he came down from the mountain of the law, Exodus 34:29-35, so Jesus' face glowed with the glory of God on the mount of transfiguration, Matthew 17:3; Mark 9:3. Jesus also wants our light to shine, so that men will see
our good works in spite of the surrounding darkness in order to glorify the Father in heaven, Matthew 5:16. We are to be "blameless and pure" in a world made up of crooks and perverts, where we are to "shine like stars in the universe," Philippians 2:19. In distant antiquity, Daniel adds that "those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever," Daniel 12:3. Do you glow or do you glower?
Solomon said, "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness, they do not know what makes them stumble," Proverbs 4:18-19. A boy went on a camping trip with his dad for the first time. As they entered their tent, his father told him to turn off his torch to keep from attracting mosquitoes. It was then that the boy spied a number of fire flies. "It's no use, dad," said the lad, "now they're coming after us with their torches." In a world of darkness, we need not only to glow with the joy and glory of God, but we also need to go after the lost with our gospel torches. Only then would the world look at our Christian witness and say, "You would even say it glows!" "May the Lord make his face shine upon you," Numbers 6:25.
Love you all,
Al--"the Horne of Africa"