Counterfeit Light
I woke before light. I got my coffee and sat looking out the window toward the promise of sunrise. There was one very bright star in the sky that stayed visible long after the others had faded. It shined like a huge, distant, brilliant diamond. I gave thanks for such a gift to my morning.
Occasionally, and more as time passed, a plane would fly through my line of vision, seeming to pass the star. Their lights were smaller, flashing, and more colorful. It felt like they were in competition for my attention. I thought how like the world to be seeking to draw our eyes from Creation and its Creator.
Have you ever thought you were looking at a star and then realized that it was a plane? They can fool our eyes, but not for long.
Have you ever discovered that someone was not who you thought they were? They can fool our hearts like a magician’s sleight of hand, but with greater consequences.
During every gold rush, some would get excited about the yellow rock they found only to be disappointed and called a fool. The bigger the fool, the more they had gambled.
Children pick up quartz and think it’s diamond. They may be heartbroken, yet the rock is still sparkly and beautiful and free. The wise child will still enjoy their treasure, just the way God designed it.
As Christians, we know that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) Yet it is so tempting to be distracted by the flashy, the temporary, the counterfeit.
Our enemy knows all about this. Scripture says that he disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). He’s well aware of our attraction to the bright and beautiful. Social media and every streaming platform is jam-packed with pretty little lies. “Look like this to be happy!” “Buy this to be happy!” “Go here to be happy!” And this year: “Vote for them, they’ll make you happy!”
As Shrek, one of our favorite characters said, “We’ve got all the happiness we need! Happy, happy, happy!”
But do we? If that’s true, why are record numbers of people worldwide depressed? And why are we consumed by consumerism?
One of the names for God in the Bible is Jehovah Jireh, God provides. The first time it was used was by Abraham when God gave a substitute ram for sacrifice so that Isaac was saved. This was preview of God’s greatest provision: Jesus, who would be the substitute sacrifice for all.
Paul assured the Christians in Philippi (and us today) that God, “will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
ALL our needs. What a promise! But is it enough? Because it isn’t just our needs that we want provided, is it?
We easily become discontented with the good things we’ve been blessed with when we compare our lot with that of others. The bigger house, newer car and more accomplished children can turn our eyes from the sweetness of our own situation.
As the sun came close to the horizon, the bright star finally gave way to the greater light, like John the Baptist’s declaration: “He must increase, I must decrease!” (John 3:30)
Similarly, when Jesus returns we will have perfect sight. We shall know fully even as we are now known fully by God. (I Corinthians 13:12) No created thing will be as beautiful as our Creator. We will have eyes for nothing else. There will be nothing competing for the glory only God deserves.
Every eye will turn to God and I think that each person will feel as if they were alone with their Creator. Our hearts will be laid bare before the searchlight of God’s holiness, yet set on fire and refined by the intensity of His love for us. We will not have a spare thought to wonder about anyone else’s benefits or challenges. The counterfeits won’t count and the flashy distractions of this world will hold no attraction at all.
