Well, there’s a beautiful light in the world, but nobody will see it. We are miserable, stupid, cheating, senseless animals.”
–Ernest Haycox (Long Storm)
“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
–John 3:19 (NKJV)
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I was sitting by the window looking out at the woods doing my devotions last Sunday morning when out of the blue came the chorus of an old song; it must have been a hundred years ago since I heard it last. Well, really not out of the blue, more from the grey matter in my head, and perhaps not a hundred years ago, but plenty of years. Why it happened, I don’t know, just one of those special things that the Holy Spirit throws my way once in a while.
“In that city where the Lamb is the light,
The city where there cometh no night;
I’ve a mansion over there,
And when free from toil and care,
I am going where the Lamb is the light.”
–Herbert Buffum
This is another one of those grand mysteries. The city where the Lamb is the light. John writes in Revelation, “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” (21:23, NKJV). There are several Scriptures in the Holy Writ that indicate that Jesus is the Light–the Light of the world, the Light of heaven, the Light of that city.
“There’s a country far beyond the starry sky,
There’s a city where there never comes a night;
If we’re faithful we shall go there by and by,
‘Tis the city where the Lamb is the light.”
But how do we get to that city? How can we find our way? Jesus gives us directions, “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'” (John 8:12) We have the light if we look for Him. He will guide us through the darkest nights here on earth. He will help us see in the caves of our depression and guilt, If you open your eyes, and see the Light.
Many people are afraid of the dark, especially young children. They need/want a light on to help calm their fears and anxieties. Sin has also brought upon this earth darkness, and people fear because of that darkness. The darkness of evil pervades, but there is a Light. “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” (Matthew 4:16, NKJV)
“Here we have our disappointments all the while,
And our fondest hopes but meet with bitter blight;
Tho’ by night we weep, the morning brings a smile,
In that city where the Lamb is the light.”
Sometimes the gloom sets in, and we have trouble finding our way. Sometimes we look around and cannot see where we are going. That’s why the Light came–to show us the way. The sad thing is that many do not see the light, nor do they even bother looking for the light. They would rather grope and stumble along. The Light may be right in front of them, but they have been in the dark too long. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
(John 1:3-4, NKJV)
“Then let the sunlight fade, let twilight bring its gloom,
Not a shadow can my blissful soul affright;
For I know that up in heaven there is room,
In that city where the Lamb is the light.”
We walk through this world, not in darkness but in Light. As in the Old Testament, we know that God’s Word is a “lamp to our feet, and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105, NKJV) and that God, Himself, is our “Light and our salvation” (Psalm 27:1, NKJV) Only when we are in darkness is there reason to stumble. Only when we allow the dark clouds to lower and hinder our walk do we falter. Remember, as Paul writes, “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5, NKJV). So here’s a little homework assignment. I didn’t use all the verses to Buffum’s hymn, look them up. Also, try doing a little study that refers to God as the Light.
————————————–
I was sitting by the window looking out at the woods doing my devotions last Sunday morning when out of the blue came the chorus of an old song; it must have been a hundred years ago since I heard it last. Well, really not out of the blue, more from the grey matter in my head, and perhaps not a hundred years ago, but plenty of years. Why it happened, I don’t know, just one of those special things that the Holy Spirit throws my way once in a while.
“In that city where the Lamb is the light,
The city where there cometh no night;
I’ve a mansion over there,
And when free from toil and care,
I am going where the Lamb is the light.”
–Herbert Buffum
This is another one of those grand mysteries. The city where the Lamb is the light. John writes in Revelation, “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” (21:23, NKJV). There are several Scriptures in the Holy Writ that indicate that Jesus is the Light–the Light of the world, the Light of heaven, the Light of that city.
“There’s a country far beyond the starry sky,
There’s a city where there never comes a night;
If we’re faithful we shall go there by and by,
‘Tis the city where the Lamb is the light.”
But how do we get to that city? How can we find our way? Jesus gives us directions, “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'” (John 8:12) We have the light if we look for Him. He will guide us through the darkest nights here on earth. He will help us see in the caves of our depression and guilt, If you open your eyes, and see the Light.
Many people are afraid of the dark, especially young children. They need/want a light on to help calm their fears and anxieties. Sin has also brought upon this earth darkness, and people fear because of that darkness. The darkness of evil pervades, but there is a Light. “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” (Matthew 4:16, NKJV)
“Here we have our disappointments all the while,
And our fondest hopes but meet with bitter blight;
Tho’ by night we weep, the morning brings a smile,
In that city where the Lamb is the light.”
Sometimes the gloom sets in, and we have trouble finding our way. Sometimes we look around and cannot see where we are going. That’s why the Light came–to show us the way. The sad thing is that many do not see the light, nor do they even bother looking for the light. They would rather grope and stumble along. The Light may be right in front of them, but they have been in the dark too long. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
(John 1:3-4, NKJV)
“Then let the sunlight fade, let twilight bring its gloom,
Not a shadow can my blissful soul affright;
For I know that up in heaven there is room,
In that city where the Lamb is the light.”
We walk through this world, not in darkness but in Light. As in the Old Testament, we know that God’s Word is a “lamp to our feet, and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105, NKJV) and that God, Himself, is our “Light and our salvation” (Psalm 27:1, NKJV) Only when we are in darkness is there reason to stumble. Only when we allow the dark clouds to lower and hinder our walk do we falter. Remember, as Paul writes, “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5, NKJV). So here’s a little homework assignment. I didn’t use all the verses to Buffum’s hymn, look them up. Also, try doing a little study that refers to God as the Light.