Shades of Grey or Black & White

Chicago winters seem to drag on interminably overcast. This year I was really feeling a vitamin D deficit.

Moments ago I was outside on my second floor balcony standing in the sunlight wearing shirtsleeves and jeans. Temperature just about freezing and I was comfortably warmed by the sun 93 million miles away.

Our own personal huge nuclear fusion machine in space made me feel good basking in its emanation. Light is amazing!

God does not call it sun or hydrogen. He calls it light. How would you make light? How does God make light? He makes it perfectly! We want to know how the sun works. We try to figure out how old it is, wonder if it burns out, ponder what causes solar flares, and stuff. I think that amuses God.

When God said “let there be light”, do you think in the back of his mind He was trying to figure out “if I’m going to make light I’ll need hydrogen and mass and fusion” and stuff like that? I don’t think He rolls that way. He’s all knowing, all powerful, and does everything perfect the first time. He simply says… “let there be light” all necessary instantly forms, and voila there is light!

Light exists. Darkness does not exist. Darkness is simply the absence of light. God is light. In Him, there is no darkness. Block light and result is called darkness…. the absence of light. The tiniest of cracks in whatever blocks light permits light to enter filling all… light shines in all directions and fills the void.

As a photographer, I spent thousands of hours in the “darkroom” developing film… the room had to be completely void of light. Film in camera when exposed to even 1000th of a second of light creates a change in the silver halide chemistry of the film.

The slightest violation of blocking light in film darkroom, even imperceptible to the eye, will totally ruin the film being developed.
Nature abhors a vacuum in physical scientific terms. On earth, a vacuum does not exist in nature. It’s impossible! Atmospheric law demonstrates this physical principal. Seen any pockets of vacuum lately?

What is a vacuum? Edison knows. The filament in his light bulb would burn out in moments if not for the vacuum within the bulb. Fire is “rapid oxidation”. It requires oxygen to burn stuff. Remove oxygen and voila… fire does not consume. Interesting that Edison (man) made electrically induced light in a vacuum. Things to ponder in contrast…

As nature abhors a vacuum in our comparison to light & darkness, God therefore abhors darkness. Abhor… that’s in interesting word.
verb (used with object), ab•horred, ab•hor•ring. To regard with extreme repugnance or aversion; detest utterly; loathe; abominate.

Since God “abhors a vacuum”… we should have complete confidence that He abhors darkness. God IS light! He did NOT create darkness! He permitted darkness as a consequence of another. More accurately, He shined against what blocked the light and actually BECAME the blockage to be pierced so that His light would shine into the “darkness” exposing the violator in the starkest of contrast for all to see.

The entrance of God’s word brings light. The evil one inhabits the dark void. He’s allowed in the light but doesn’t want to be seen in the light lest his evil intent and vile sin become evident. He hides in “shades of grey”, nuanced as it were to those unfocused.

Without stark contrast, all you have are shades of grey.
Light shone in the darkness and the darkness understood it not.
Were we film, we’ve all been exposed to light and found fouled in God’s “light room”. We’ve all sinned and fallen short of His glorious perfection. Nuance doesn’t pass His muster. It’s black or white. Light or dark. Right or wrong. Sin or righteousness. Can’t hide in the grey when His light shines.

One day we all will be “washed” in the developer that separates black from white and found in the highly focused sharp lens of the enlarger. It’s black and white. (Forgive the intentional pun).

In the world of time, shades of gray are a graceful temporary accommodation. The day will come when God’s light clearly separates light from darkness in bold relief.

Do you understand the above? Or, are you finding comfort in shades of nuanced grey? If so just wait for the developer that separates black from white and be found wanting.

Back Home