While We Wait-We Become Lovers Of The Light

"Lover Of The Light"

Mumford and Son's

Today's Focus: The Light

The Light of Christmas

"Christmas can only be found. Christmas cannot be bought. Christmas cannot be created. Christmas cannot be made by hand, lit up, set out, dreamed up. Christmas can only be found."- Ann Voskamp

In the darkest moments of life

there is always 

Light

there is always 

Hope

"The Light never comes how you expect it.  It doesn't matter how dark the dark is; a light can still dawn. It doesn't matter if the world whispers, "There's not a hint that help will come from elsewhere," telling us that nothing will ever improve, get better, change. God favors the darkest places so you can see His light the brightest."- Ann Voskamp

As I thought about today's focus I was reminded of the dark. 

My dark

and how in that dark I saw 

His Light 

Bright

Of course I came across another Mumford and Son's song that so beautifully portrays my journey. 

The video tells the story of a blind man who literally leaves his disability at the door, ditching his cane and wandering out into the wide world. And though he’s sightless, he bravely dashes through a forest, sprints toward the edge of a cliff and lives his life unencumbered, for the first time. The veil is lifted. Sight is given. The blind man can now see. This is a spiritual metaphor for us all. We are blinded by condition of our hearts. When Jesus heals our hearts we begin to see how life can be lived the way He promises. Abundantly and Joyfully, even when the grief comes.

The beginning of the video shows this man waking up.. The expression on his face as He awakes reminded me of the condition of my heart as I would awake from another night slept during my heavy grief.. I was always shocked that my eyes would open up again to experience another hell on earth day. We said it was like the Movie ground hog day.. returning each day .. with out welcome.. 

Each day it returned I would intentionally take a step towards Jesus. 

Not always wanting to..

but willing myself to..

I hated the journey at first.. I was not a lover of the light.. It hurt my swollen tear filled eyes. I remember the only thing I could think of before I would go to sleep at night was.. "Blink, Julie.. If you don't the tears will stay inside your eyes.. and your eyes will be so swollen tomorrow that you wont be able to get a cup of coffee in the morning without putting on your sunglasses." This is one of the deep profound truths I learned as I journeyed through grief.  Another truth was qualifying a day by.. "Can I handle mascara today?" Shallow.. but that's where I was:)

I began to love the journey when I became a "Lover of the Light". 

The video above begins by showing a Stag and a Oak tree standing side by side.. The stag represents Christ and the Oak Tree represents what you become when you follow the Stag. 

Isaiah 61 tells us that He came and still comes to comfort all who mourn.. To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes.. Give them oil of joy instead of mourning.. a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.. This is what He does when we become lovers of the light.. When we follow Him through the wilderness.. He replants us in wide open spaces and calls us Oaks planted by Him to display His goodness.. 

"They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord

for the display of his splendor."

Isaiah 61:3

The video also shows the progression of following.. learning to love the light..Cooped up in our house of grief.. we rise each day and sit down at the table of God.. Here we learn His heart.. He builds a strong foundation.. Then one day He asks us to come out.. Be Brave and Courageous and leave your fear at the door.. Step out and run.. run through the wilderness .. into a place where you will be able to run straight off the cliff of your fear into a place where you can really live. Live with a heart full of His love .. abundantly.. moving from a mindset that thinks,  "I can't do that!" .. to a mindset that thinks, Geronimo! And before you know it your living again.. This is what happens when you become a lover of the light:)

The lyrics to this song.. pretty profound.. worth the read:) 

"Lover Of The Light"

And in the middle of the night
I may watch you go
There'll be no value in the strength
Of walls that I have grown
There'll be no comfort in the shade
Of the shadows thrown
But I'd be yours if you'd be mine

Stretch out my life
And pick the seams out
Take what you like
But close my ears and eyes
Watch me stumble over and over

I had done wrong
You build your tower
But call me home
And I will build a throne
And wash my eyes out never again

But love the one you hold
And I'll be your goal
To have and to hold
A lover of the lights

With skin too tight
And eyes like marbles
You spin me high
So watch me as I glide
Before I tumble homeward, homeward

I know I tried
I was not stable
And flawed by pride
I miss my sanguine eyes
So hold my hands up - breathe in and breathe out

So love the one you hold
And I'll be your goal
To have and to hold
A lover of the lights

And in the middle of the night
I may watch you go
There'll be no value in the strength
Of walls that I have grown
There'll be no comfort in the shade
Of the shadows thrown
You may not trust the promises
Of the change I'll show
But I'd be yours if you'd be mine

So love the one you hold
And I'll be your goal
To have and to hold
A lover of the lights

So love the one you hold
And I will be your goal
To have and to hold
A lover of the lights