Let There Be Light
"Every time we say ‘Let there be!’ in any form, something happens." —Stella Terrill Mann
Every artist knows the importance of light. According to the Bible, the first words God ever spoke aloud were the unforgettable words, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). We cannot fathom the gigawatts of creative power unleashed by these words. When we choose to create something, we call upon the same creative power that willed light into being. That’s an enormous privilege—and a weighty responsibility!
"Every time we say ‘Let there be!’ in any form, something happens." —Stella Terrill Mann
Every artist knows the importance of light. According to the Bible, the first words God ever spoke aloud were the unforgettable words, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). We cannot fathom the gigawatts of creative power unleashed by these words. When we choose to create something, we call upon the same creative power that willed light into being. That’s an enormous privilege—and a weighty responsibility!
Isn’t it amazing how we’re irresistibly drawn to the light? Light represents warmth. Goodness. Hope. Life. Light makes us feel better. No matter what kind of day I’ve had, taking a few minutes to bask in the warm glow of the sun makes me feel as though I can take on the world. As a writer, I appreciate how light serves as a contrast to darkness. The positive elements of a life, a character, a situation, take on special clarity and significance when juxtaposed with the darker elements of life in this fallen world.
Thomas Edison, the inventor, was obsessed with light. Specifically, he dedicated his life to creating the incandescent lightbulb. A reporter once asked the brilliant inventor, “What was it like to fail 2000 times in your attempt to invent the lightbulb?"
Edison smiled and said, “I didn’t fail 2000 times. I invented the lightbulb in 2001 steps.”
His breakthrough brought light into the homes of millions of Americans. As a result, Thomas Edison appeared as #1 on LIFE Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of the last century. The article states: “Because of him, the millennium will end in a wash of brilliant light rather than in torchlit darkness as it began. In 1879, Thomas Edison gave humans the power to create light without fire, by inventing a long-lasting, affordable incandescent lamp. Among life’s many conveniences we can take for granted, thanks in part to him: copiers, radio, movies, TV, phones (he improved Bell’s). On the night after his funeral, Americans dimmed their lights for the man who lit up the world.”
Edison’s singular commitment to his calling, his dream, and his vision enabled him to light up the world. He didn’t give up on his creative ideas, despite the mockery of many around him. And his persistence eventually paid off. The prophet Isaiah could have been talking about us when he wrote:
"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (Isaiah 9:2).
In our culture, so many people are still walking in spiritual darkness, trying to make their way across the treacherous landscape of life. How are we doing in the “light” department? Are we a powerful beacon or a flickering filament, about to burn out?
The greater the darkness around us, the brighter our light should shine in comparison. And our art is part of what helps us communicate with those walking in darkness. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” When others look at our lives, when they look into our hearts, the light of God should shine forth. Ephesians 5:8 tells us, “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light."
How brightly is your life’s light shining?
