This Little Light Of Mine (Part 1)

        In my opinion, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who hadn't heard of the song This Little Light Of Mine. It's a plain and simple classic in the world of Christianity, and it's fame has spread throughout the secular world by way of anyone who ever attended Sunday school.
However, in case you haven't heard of it, here are the lyrics:

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine.
x3

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Won't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine.
x3

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel?  No!
I'm gonna let it shine.
x3

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Let it shine till Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine.
x3

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

        Profound stuff.  Of course, if you don't have a little background knowledge, the whole thing doesn't make a ton of sense: "A bushel?  Where did a bushel come into the picture? And what is this light exactly, anyway?"  The answers to many of these questions can be found in Matthew 5, verses 14-16 (King James Version), as Jesus speaks to those who follow Him:
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
In short, born again disciples of Christ are the light, and Jesus made it clear that we are not to hide it.  Thus some joy-filled Believer felt the need to write a song about it (their only error being that they spoke of merely possessing the light, rather than the light possessing them), and here we are.
        But what does it mean to be light?  Light is defined as:
light /līt/ Noun:
The natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible;
electromagnetic radiation from about 390 to 740 nm in wavelength.
     The word 'Christian' sure doesn't bring to mind electromagnetic radiation, and so this
Scripture is enough to make one pause to ponder.  How can Christians be light?
     That bit about electromagnetic radiation is the scientific definition of literal light,
and it's seemingly obvious that this is not the type of light Jesus was referring to when
He spoke of men.  Therefore I refer to the first half of the definition: something that stimulates sight and makes things visible.
        I've been asked how I can believe in a big man in the sky if telescopes can see for light years and haven't spotted Him.  I don't believe in 'a big man in the sky,' but rather God, and God cannot be seen with physical eyes, for He is Spirit (see John 4:24). The only time God was visible in physical form was 2,000 years ago when He came to earth as the Man Jesus Christ.  Scientific, physical, earthly light made Him clearly observable then with mortal eyes, but He has since ascended to glory.
No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. (John 3:13)
        Furthermore, that Man is now also spirit, invisible to the temporal eye.
And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:45, 47)
        In that sense, Jesus (re: God) is invisible.  However, when one looks with spiritual rather than physical eyes, He is plain to see.
For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
But as it is written:
      “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
      Nor have entered into the heart of man
      The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
  But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)
        As it says 1 Corinthians 2:10, these spiritual things are revealed through the Spirit of God.  Once a person becomes a believer in Christ Jesus, they are given and sealed by this Spirit (see Ephesians 1:13), and it is then that God becomes truly visible to them.
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)
Light makes things visible; God is light; Believers are given a portion of God Himself and are transformed by Him.  This is how Christians become light upon salvation.
        Before I was saved, I knew of God, but never knew Him personally.  I lived in darkness of mind, spirit, heart, and soul.  When I finally surrendered my heart and life to Him, He brought me into marvelous light.  I was freed from the blackness of sin and hopelessness.  My soul was brought from the shadowy grasp of Satan to being seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6)  Every day I live in the presence of the holiness and glory of the living God, having His Spirit within me.  He is more clearly visible to me each day.
For you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

The words 'this little light of mine' may never do justice to the marvelous light of which the Bible speaks.  But we can sing those words with a glow on our faces from knowing so.

Be on the lookout for This Little Light Of Mine (Part 2).

Note: Due to errors with this site, the author has been listed incorrectly.  Angie Anthony has authored this blog entry and will be authoring those to come.  Sorry for any confusion.