Breath and Light

God spoke light and darkness into being, and spoke breath and life from nothing. But darkness seemed to overwhelm. The first few chapters have unraveled quickly. From the initial rebellion in eating of the Tree, to murder, to Lamech’s boast. The world is dark. Yet the Lord's faithfulness closes the chapter as “At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord” (Gen. 4:26). Stars speckle the pervading darkness.

But “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Dark. “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8). A beacon in the night.

Genesis 11 closes the prologue in darkness. The curtain falls on man, prideful and confused, separated from God, judged and scattered. But in Genesis 12, a new act begins with Abram (Gen. 12:1-3). A beam of hope for the world breaks in again. All nations will be blessed through a faithful people in God’s faithfulness to a faithless world.

From Exodus to Kings/Chronicles, Israel was to be a light to the nations, a city on a hill, “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6). Yet, failure after failure. The stars’ twinkle seemed to be dim in comparison to the deep, depthless ebony. But prophets proclaimed the Lord’s faithfulness in preserving a righteous remnant and a righteous Servant. The Lord would make this Servant to be a light to the nations, so that his salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isa. 49:6). In the exile, Daniel and Esther show God’s faithfulness in preserving a righteous remnant—they shine “like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (Dan. 12:3).

And we, today, are part of that righteous remnant, children of light, shining as lights in the world among a crooked generation (Eph. 5:8; Phil. 2:15). We embody the faithfulness of the Lord. Beacons, beckoning, of his faithfulness in a dark world. He is faithful in giving me, giving you, breath and life and food and sun and rain. With each breath, we declare his faithfulness. Lights. Sparks.

But what does an individual’s breath matter? Why each star in the sky? Why is my and your personal breath show not just God’s sustaining provision, but his faithfulness, his commitment? Would not his faithfulness be just as demonstrated in taking us up to heaven to be with him?

But stand back. Look at the stellar profundity, the vast expanse of the light-spotted dark, the whole galaxy of God’s story. God’s faithfulness is not just to the individual; it is to the creation. We are light. We are the presence of Christ. God has not given up on this world. Each of our breaths show that God is still working in this world, still present in this world, still redeeming this world. He is still inviting people to see him through his Church, his Body. He is still present in this broken world, still committed to redeeming his creation. What love! What security for us in him!

Breathe. Proclaim his faithfulness. Breathe out. He is faithful. He is still life-giving in a darkening world, a world of Ebola, ISIS, waning Christendom, heresy, financial problems, broken relationships, cancer. The breath may be unseen. May be a gasp of pain. May be a senior’s death rattle. May be a prayer. May be an awe of joy. A sigh of waiting. Breath. Breath. He is faithful. Presence. Light. Spark.

And what glory! And all creation—from the quantam light energy, the quarks of atoms, to the vast universes of dancing light and burning planets— is for him, wrapped up in his glory. The ends of the earth is his. The nations are his. I am his. You are his. Each breath is his, for he is faithful and he is worthy. Our tiny little breaths are part of his grand story, a beacon of his faithfulness, for his radiant glory. He is faithful to this tiny terrestrial ball for it is the theater of his glory (John Calvin). He is faithful to us, for we are his image, reflecting his glory and pointing to him. Each breath—faithful God! Each breath—glory to God!

“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (Ps. 2:8).

“For ‘God has put all things in subjection under his feet…..’  When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:27-28).

“He 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” (Col. 1:16-18).

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Rom 11:36).

“…yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist” (1 Cor. 8:6).