February 15, 2023 7:00 pm
To capture the beauty of reflective light in his landscape oil paintings, artist Armand Cabrera works with a key artistic principle: “Reflected light is never as strong as its source light.” He observes that novice painters tend to exaggerate reflected light. He says, “Reflected light belongs to the shadow and as such it must support, not compete with the lighted areas” of a painting.
We hear similar insight in the Bible concerning Jesus as “the light of all mankind” (John 1:4). John the Baptist who “came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe” (v. 7). The gospel writer tells us, “He himself [John] was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light” (v. 8).
As with John, we’re chosen by God to reflect Christ’s light to those living in the shadows of an unbelieving world. This is our role, as one source says, “perhaps because unbelievers are not able to bear the full blazing glory of His light firsthand.”
Cabrera teaches his art students that “anything that has direct light falling on it . . . becomes a source of light itself.” Similarly, with Jesus as “the true light that gives light to everyone” (v. 9), we can shine as witnesses. As we reflect Him, may the world be amazed to see His glory shine through us.
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled, Reflecting Christ's Light, was written by Patricia Rabin. To capture the beauty of reflective light in his landscape oil paintings, artist Armand Cabrera works with a key artistic principle. Reflected light is never as strong as its source light. He observes that novice painters tend to exaggerate reflected light.
He says, reflected light belongs to the shadow and as such must support, not compete with the lighted areas of your painting. We hear similar insight in John chapter 1 concerning Jesus as the light of all mankind. John the Baptist came as a witness to testify concerning that light so that through him all might believe.
The Gospel writer tells us he himself, John, was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light. As with John, we're chosen by God to reflect Christ's light to those living in the shadows of an unbelieving world. This is our role, as one source says, perhaps because unbelievers are not able to bear the full blazing glory of his light firsthand.
Cabrera teaches his art students that anything that has direct light falling on it in a scene becomes a source of light itself. Similarly, with Jesus as the true light that gives light to everyone, we can shine as witnesses. As we reflect him, may the world be amazed to see his glory shine through us.
Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from John chapter 1 verses 4 through 9. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light so that through him all might believe.
He himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. Let's pray. Beautiful light of God, shine on us. Help us, then, to shine your light in the shadows of an unbelieving world. Thank you, Lord. It's in your beautiful name that we pray Jesus. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Joyce Dinkins, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-02-20 09:40:38 / 2023-02-20 09:42:02 / 1
