Illumination

Our bedroom closet has little or no air circulation in it. So, this past winter, it was pretty chilly in there when the door was left closed. The chilliness had an interesting side effect on our closet lighting. We have one of those small fluorescent bulbs hanging in the closet. At full brightness, it gives off perfectly sufficient lighting for the closet. But, by nature, fluorescent lights light up slower in cold temperatures than in warm. So, when the light is first turned on, the bulb does little to light up the closet.

One morning I slipped into the closet to find some clothes, flipped on the light switch, and closed the door behind me to keep one of the cats from following me in. It wasn't the chilliest of mornings, but it definitely wasn't exceedingly warm. So, the bulb had to cycle through its typical warm-up phase before reaching full brightness. It was fascinating to me to watch the small room gradually brighten as I selected clothes and began to get dressed. With each passing moment, I was able to see more and more clearly to accomplish my task.

Studying God's Word is much like a fluorescent light in cold temperatures. When we first begin to explore Scripture, our understanding can seem quite dim. Little things stand out to us here and there, but we are often astounded when we hear others greatly expound on little things in the Word that completely escaped our notice.

But, the more we stay in the Word, the brighter our understanding becomes. Gradually more truth is illuminated in our hearts and minds, and we see more clearly than ever before.

The beautiful thing about the Bible is that anyone can experience that increased illumination. There are naturally things that can help us along the path. I learned so much from my religion classes in college, and being married to a preacher who is currently in seminary doesn't hurt either! But, when we devote ourselves to the study of God's Word, His Holy Spirit will illuminate it no matter what our academic background might be.

As you devote yourself increasingly to the study of God's Word, may the light of your understanding shine brighter each day!