The Way the Light Shines

I love the way the light shines in my home parish. We have no curtains on the windows... just stained glass that filters the sunlight and splashes color on the walls and the ceiling.  Sometimes it even touches the people directly. Living in Oregon... this is not something that happens every day... and when it does... I like to look around the room and watch where it lands. When the light hits me personally...  I feel I'm in just the right place at the right time. When the light shines so bright that I can't look up... I just bow my head and let it cover me. I surrender to the light and whatever color it makes me.

My work brings me to many different church buildings and denominations. There are a lot of churches... even some of my own faith... so covered... so filtered and controlled that very little or no light is allowed to shine. To me... the light is like God's Spirit. Where it is allowed to move freely much is accomplished. On the contrary... where fear and control issues abound the Spirit is blocked more often than not. God certainly has the power to penetrate any darkness... I do think though that He probably has a lot more fun with us when we are open and willing to let that Spirit flow. I think we're so much better off when we let the light shine and the true colors of our faith and in our fellow members to be revealed. 

I think it's important to ask ourselves these questions... 

Does God's light shine through me, on me or never find me?
Am I a roadblock or a doorway?
Am I living a life of light and color or in a world of fear and darkness?

Scripturally Speaking:
1 John 1:5
God Is Light 5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
New American Standard Bible

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Anybody know where this photo was taken?