DWELLING LIFE

The light(life) shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it (John 1:5).
So many things about the light catch my attention. Understood katalambano -  to make something one's own, to win, or attain it.
...and that life was the light of men (John 1:4)

     I have always viewed the light as rushing into the darkness and driving it away. Isn't that what made the monsters late at night flee our thoughts, when we were tucked in tight under the blankets. When fear set in amidst the darkness, we reached out for the light. Hope would come rushing in and save the day. Even now 30 plus years later I still reach out for the light when I wake up in darkness and I am crippled with fear.  Surely this is what this verse means right? What hit me in the gut and took my breath away is the fact that the darkness is trying to understand the light. I always see this grand battle between light and darkness. Ultimate good and deplorable evil. The darkness flees true enough. But this battle (maybe with swords) I always see (with a man who has seven fingers) does it really exist in such an anger filled conflict?
     The LIFE in Jesus is the light (phos). John make that unquestionably clear. The darkness can not attain this life. Jesus made his DWELLING (skenoo) among us. The meaning explodes in me. To settle, to take up residence. The idea of complete permanence. It is so opposite from the Greek skenos, a temporary abode, a tent. No settling. No permanence. The life, the light to all men dwells among us, in us. The more the light dwells in me the more the darkness is just gone. No battle, no clashing of swords, just gone. The true battle is that my own evil desires drag me away and entice me to conceive and give birth to sin allowing it to grow fully into death/darkness or the absence of life/light (James 1:14-15).
     As if that wasn't enough challenge God one upped me. One of my favorite words. Exegeomai - to make him known, to set forth in great detail, expound, clarify, explain or unfold. This Life that Lives in me much like Jesus made the Father known to all, I now need to make known to others.
     When the monsters and fears come quietly into our lives and take all our comfort and peace away, What light/life is DWELLING in us? Am I bright enough to illuminate with others in need thus making the Father known though love, peace, truth, and life?
                                               Lord DWELL brighter in me. Burn Livelier!  

ANCHORED

     I want to feel secure in my place, firmly planted. Life, work, marriage, are all things that sometimes feel like I am drifting from one place to another, one moment to the next; never really feeling settled, at peace. Never really learning everything I need to to successfully navigate life in real true victory. Feeling malnourished but continuing to eat whatever I can get my hands on. "He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet."(Prov. 27:7) Sometimes I feel like I am starving for truth, but filling up with rancid life all around. Drifting.  
     Words hold power. Making up our minds and decisions for how we approach life, how we feel and act towards ourselves and others. They hold the key to how our brain processes and how much effort we put towards something in our lives, while allowing our heart to hope, love, be passionate. Act. 
     Prosechein: a nautical Greek term meaning to hold a ship towards port, the fastening of an anchor to a seabed to keep a ship from drifting. The opposite nautical term is used in Hebrews 2:1 as a warning to pay attention or we will drift away not anchored, carelessly passing or flowing by (Pararrueo).
     "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf." (Hebrews 6:19)
     I see the image of my soul being anchored to the seabed. Firm, secure, unmoving. Hebrews talks about paying attention to the message that Christ gave us, Salvation. Not hearing it and then drifting away. Words mixed with action. Hearing is the easy part on our journey of life. Doing something with what we have heard, isn't that the rub?