FRIDAY, August 12

Acts 21:37—22:16. “...I could not see because of the brightness of that light.”

When we walk from darkness into bright sunlight, the dazzling light can overcome us. It can be almost painful. For a few moments we are unable to make out anything, as our eyes adjust. But the brighter light soon reveals to us things we could not see before.

Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus was more substantial than that, but this idea of coming from darkness into light gives us an inkling of what happened to him. We usually call this his “conversion” but in some ways it wasn’t a conversion at all. Paul still believed in the same God and in the same scriptures he had known as a Jew. What had changed was his relationship with Jesus Christ.

God revealed himself as pure light to Paul, and after a temporary time of confusion, he came to see Jesus and the followers of the Way in a new light that filled him and thus shone out in his life.

We too are “children of light” and filled with God’s good news. How can we show this light in our lives?

Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom.

Lead thou me on!

--John Henry Newman

PRAY for the International Anglican Youth Network (IAYN) and the Diocese of Rio Grande (Province VII, USA)

Ps 102 * 107:1-32; 2 Samuel 15:19-37; Mark 10:46-52

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Let Our Light Shine

Aug 12, 2011 at 7:29 am

Written by emeline,

We demonstrate the power of the Light by doing those things that Christ commanded and taught us. We live out the examples of His teachings and precepts, and allow others to emulate His love through us. We are Christ's followers, and therefore, children of the Light!

...

Aug 12, 2011 at 8:18 am

Written by Sam,

Bro Chris slipped in a provocative assertion that in some ways Paul's conversion was not a conversion. It evoked this thought from me: since Paul did change to follow Jesus Christ as God, something that he did not believe in before his road to Damascus experience, and a belief for which he had actively persecuted others, including Stephen to his death, then for me it was enough of a radical change to be clasified a conversion.

And how do we as children of light show that light in our lives? In a nutshell, we could not do worse than to follow many of Paul's life examples after his conversion, so poignantly captured in the Acts and several of his letters. Trying to live into all our Baptismal vows would also be great.

on conversion ...

Aug 12, 2011 at 2:15 pm

Written by LT,

In my small opinion, a conversion is a lifetime achievement/commitment/experience. "By the grace of God I hope to be saved" (Eastern Church theology). In this, I believe we are challenged to improve daily.

Light shining in the darkness

Aug 12, 2011 at 5:17 pm

Written by Rick,

The light will always shine in the darkness as long as we keep the light shining through our faith, prayer and good works done in the name of the Lord. We are the light of a sometimes very dark world.

...

Aug 13, 2011 at 4:46 pm

Written by Christopher John SSF,

Let your light shine before all.

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