Light and life

By Elizabeth Prata

During this Pandemic time, I've had opportunity to go through and look at and scan some of my old 35mm photos. I went to Italy a few times in the '90s. I’d always heard that the light in the region of Italy called Tuscany was unique. My grandmother was from Lucca. Tuscany is deemed by Italians to be the "best" region. One reason is that it's considered the cradle of Italy, since the Etrucscan Civilization was founded there in 900 BC.

Another reason is its light. It's diffuse, soft, ethereal. It is as if the entire region has an Instagram filter over it. I can't describe it, but if anyone looks up 'Tuscany' and 'light' there will be a lot of articles about it.

Somewhere in Tuscany
When I went to Italy myself, I saw what the fuss was. It heightened my own sense of appreciation for the different qualities of light. The light trying to shine through fog in Maine, the diffuse, gentle light in Italy, the light here in my yard in the morning as it shines through all the leaves, separating it into beams, light at the beach as the sun goes down, the high bright clear light of noon.

The gray light of sunlit fog
What will the light of heaven be like? Revelation 21 has so much to tell us about what is coming, like this -

"The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass."

Can you imagine the sparkle? Imagine Jesus’ glory light shining everywhere, undiminished, unhidden, unshielded. Bright and sparkling off the jewels he has built the city of. And Isaiah 60:19-

"The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory."

In the New Jerusalem God continuously gives us light, spiritual as well as natural. What a refreshing time that will be. The yoke we feel is so heavy now will be gone. The weight of sin we strive against will be absent. Disappeared will be the heaviness of darkness of our world and that weighty stain on our souls.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Where is light is life, and where is Light is LIFE!



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