Glorious Light

It’s been a few years ago now that I received an inquiry from a potential guest about our Airbnb rental. “Is it quiet? It looks peaceful. I was hoping for a quiet and restful night of sleep away from the highway. Would you say it is as tranquil as the pictures suggest? I’m hoping to see the sunset.” We were new to the scene as hosts, so we didn’t have more than a few reviews. It made sense that the potential guest was drilling down on the details because she didn’t have others’ comments to rely on in the listing. “Yes, Donna, it is very peaceful!” I replied. “It is several miles from the highway and quite tranquil.” The message thread of questions and comments went on for just a little bit, and then she booked her stay for one night. She was traveling with her husband, and they would be adding an additional forty miles to their journey from Texas to Maine in order to escape the interstate and bunk one night at our rental suite. In the exchange of messages over the next 36 hours, I learned that her aging husband was dealing with Parkinson’s Disease, and she was doing all the driving. I was prayerful for her safety and that she would, indeed, experience a peaceful and restful night with a memorable sunset to go with it. 

As their arrival day wore on, I received a message or two about their progress on the road, and it had required a few extra stops for Donna’s ailing husband than expected. The last message of the day from Donna indicated their estimated time of arrival would be late enough that I knew the sun’s grandest evening moments would be past. I don’t recall meeting Donna in person that evening, but I caught a glimpse of her seated quietly on the deck under the night sky alone. 

It was my pleasure the following morning to spend a little time with Donna. It wasn’t long before I learned that her husband was quite dependent on her for almost everything. I also learned that they were traveling from their home in Texas to see their son in Maine because their son had just been diagnosed with cancer. Somewhere farther along in the conversation, she mentioned that her daughter’s husband had just left her and that Donna had been helping her daughter with the grandchildren. Donna and I prayed together, though our accord in Christ had not been overtly confessed prior to doing so. You know how that is. When you know, you know. We never spoke of the sunset she’d missed. 

After Donna’s departure, I saw the message she’d left in our guest book. It said, “God knew exactly what we needed out of the concrete jungle. My soul was refreshed at your peaceful home. Thank you for being there for us. I was upset I missed the sunset, and then God gave me a night sky full of fireflies and a star show. He never cheats us!” 

Yes! The fireflies! They certainly are charmers, and our skies through warm months are glowing with them after the sun has set. I didn’t know it then, but I have since learned that there are estimated to be more than 2,000 species of fireflies, several of which are becoming endangered. It turns out that, like most areas of Midwest farmland, our property allows them to proliferate. In fact, our property is so suitable, we are now a Certified Firefly Habitat. We have the right soil and plant diversity for these winged curiosities, and our land is properly shielded from pesticides. We have the appropriate moisture and water supply, and we allow the banks along the creek to flourish with natural growth. Key to it all, however, is, of all things, the absence of light pollution. It turns out that artificially infused light that over-illuminates the night sky throws off the breeding practices and the henceforth fruitfulness of our little luminaries. 

My guest, Donna, was hard-pressed on every side. Her experience of how one night sky filled with a performance of fireflies was just enough to encourage her along for another leg of her earthly journey. It had me contemplating the struggle between evil and good in this world and how far Satan is willing to go to put out our own lights. Certainly, the example of Job reveals he has no limits. While we know Satan delights in hurting God through provoking us to failure, he delights in hurting us individually as well. 

Satan hates us personally because we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). This is a special heritage from which Satan remains excluded. It’s no wonder he attacks our self-image. It’s no wonder he spreads confusion over our personal and individual values. It is no wonder he throws distractions at God’s most treasured creation from achieving their fullest potential.  

Satan sees us as enemies because mustard-seed-sized faith in our hearts can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). No wonder he wants us to be discouraged. No wonder he loves us to question God’s will. No wonder he stokes our egos about our own judgments and agendas. 

Satan must surely despise knowing we have the opportunity for forgiveness and eternal reconciliation while he has been judged into exile. “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). No wonder he provokes some to believe they’ve done too much wrong in their lives to ever be received by God. 

Satan, no doubt, loathes our open and unyielding access to God. “For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:18 NASB). God always welcomes us. No wonder Satan wants us to get “too busy” for God. No wonder he tempts our thoughts away from prayer and intimacy with our Lord. 

We have the power and wisdom of the indwelling. “Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). This must deeply distress Satan. No wonder he wants us to doubt our spiritual inclinations. 

There are so many reasons Satan sees us as the enemy. We have purpose (John 14:12-14), and we are loved (John 3:16). Most of all, we have replaced his role as Light! Lucifer, Light Bearer of Heaven, purged from our eternal home, is now blinded by the radiance God has placed in us. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). No wonder he hates LIGHT! 

Satan has no shine. Anything he projects that shimmers or sparkles is the same as the artificial light that thwarts the firefly from multiplying. On the other hand, Donna and I knew our sisterhood in Christ just on the merit of the glory of our light. My guest, Donna, was enduring enormous hardship at the time she found her way to our Airbnb a few years ago. One night sky, glowing with fireflies, restored her soul. God has made us with such remarkable senses to light. It’s a fuel that soaks into our bones and, spiritually, into our hearts. It’s more than that, even. In heaven, our light is our glory! Here are a few verses that tell the story of our glory. 

Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. — Daniel 12:3 

For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. — 2 Corinthians 4:17 

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. — Romans 8:16-17 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled faces, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. — 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 

To my surprise, I have learned that, of all things, most states in the United States have official state insects. In fact, my state, Indiana, was one of the last to get on the official incest insect bandwagon, and now, only a few states remain unaffiliated. I was delighted that it turns out the Indiana state insect is the Say’s firefly. I’m delighted because I happen to know they are capable of replacing sadness with joy. Donna said it so well when she stated after an evening with them, “God knew exactly what we needed” and “He never cheats us.” 

My favorite reference to the light we bear in Heaven comes from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. In chapters two and three, he was conveying how much he had wanted to return to them to encourage them to stay on course with the faith. He even said he had worried that the world might have drawn them back and away from the faith. But then came Timothy’s report of their steadfastness. To this, Paul celebrated, “For who is our hope, or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).  It’s a profound takeaway that our efforts to grow the kingdom are the light and glory that clothe us before Christ. With that in mind, let us go the way of the firefly and light up the world!