LOOK TO THE LIGHT
Have you ever tried looking directly at the sun on a hot, sunny day? I’m sure that when you tried this, you immediately took your eyes away. Our eyes are very sensitive that’s why we find it uncomfortable to have that much light and heat placed on them. In fact, medical practitioners strongly advise against staring directly at the sun as it can give you a headache and can cause serious damage to your eyes.
Matthew 6:22 tells us that the eye is the lamp of the body and if our eyes are healthy, our whole body will be full of light. What this means is that our eyes control other parts of our body. What you expose your eyes to, has a way of affecting every other part of your body. Focusing on a storm or a problem fills your mind with fear. Staring at the balance in your account when there’s little or nothing in your account and your children’s school fees or rent is due, can give you a pounding headache or sleepless night. Violent movies produce aggressive tendencies. Constantly looking at the picture of a recently lost loved one can make you cry or make you sad. Dwelling repeatedly on an abusive text someone sent you can fill you with anger. Sexual images arouse sexual desires. No wonder Job declared in Job 31:1 that I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look upon a young woman. Job understood the power in the eyes; he knew that fixing his eyes on a young woman could stir up lustful feelings. So the best way to avoid such feelings was to guard what he allows his eyes to dwell on.
It is to keep us from doing things that can destroy us, it is to help us avoid using the parts of our bodies to sin that we are advised to look unto Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). It is dangerous to stare directly at the sun, but looking directly at Jesus who radiates so much light and fire (heat) can’t do any damage whatsoever to our eyes or any other part of our body (Hebrews 1:3, John 8:12, Revelation 2:18). On the contrary, it makes our eyes and by extension every other part of our body strong and healthy. Headaches, impaired vision, loss of appetite, insomnia are certainly not the effects of looking directly at the brilliant light that is all over Jesus Christ (Revelation 22:16). Jesus is the Light of the World, Jesus is the best, safest and most healthy type of light our body needs and we can never have too much of His light in us. His light brings transformation, beauty and clarity. The best way to dispel the darkness of sin is to look unto Jesus.
Romans 6:13 tells us not to offer any part of our body to sin so they don’t become instruments or tools in the hands of the devil to carry out mischief and evil. Instead, we should surrender our whole body to God as instruments of righteousness. Every part of our body can be used for evil, it can also be used for good (James 3:9-10). It is what we look at that determines whether the parts of our body will be used for good or for evil. The same love for righteousness and hatred for sin that consumed Jesus comes on us as we look unto Jesus (Hebrews 1:9). Looking unto Jesus is the antidote for overcoming sin. It is a sin repellent. The more we look unto Jesus, the more His love fills our heart (Ephesians 5:1-2). The more the love of Christ fills our heart, the easier it is to overcome a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Looking unto Jesus is the key to becoming a better person. Looking unto Jesus transforms our tongue from a tool of destruction that can create emotional wounds, tear relationships apart, weaken momentum, and kill dreams through lies, gossip, slander and negative criticism, to an instrument for building up. Looking unto Jesus makes our tongue a tool in the hands of God to release words of life, hope and encouragement to people who are hurting and weary. As we look unto Jesus and behold all the good that is in Him, our hands get actively involved in doing good like Jesus did while here on earth (Acts 10:38). Stingy hands become giving hands, hands that pull others down become hands that lift others up, hands that had been used to maim and kill become healing hands. This was what happened to Apostle Paul. The same hands he had used to cause so much havoc and destruction became the hands that brought healing, the hands that penned words that have blessed countless people over the ages (1 Timothy 1:12-13). The changes that take place in us as we look to the Lord are amazing. Everything dark in us and about us gives way as we look to Jesus, the Light of the World.
You become what you fix your eyes on. Becoming like Jesus won’t happen overnight or in a day, but it will happen if our eyes remain on Him (2 Corinthians 3:18). We cannot become like Jesus if our eyes aren’t constantly fixed on Him or if the only time we remember to look to Him is when we have a problem. Looking unto Jesus is not a cliché or a catchy Christian phrase we use to console ourselves. Looking unto Jesus is not something that happens only on the days we attend a church service or program. Looking unto Jesus is a lifestyle, it is how we should live every day, everywhere, every time. Looking unto Jesus helps us to know Christ and be like Him. Anything outside of this is a big waste. May our life and time here on earth not be a waste.
Look to the Jesus, the Light of the world and your life will be full of light, beauty and meaning. Look to the Jesus, the Light of the world and your problems will become dim and insignificant under the radiance of His light.
PHOTO CREDIT: Artem Kovalev on Unsplash
