There is no growth without this.
Growing in Christ (1)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13.16, 17
A Divine and Supernatural Light
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
“This doctrine may well put us upon examining ourselves, whether we have ever had this divine light into our souls. If there be such a thing, doubtless it is of great importance whether we have thus been taught by the Spirit of God; whether the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, hath shined unto us, giving us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; whether we have seen the Son, and believed on him, or have that faith of gospel-doctrines which arises from a spiritual sight of Christ.”
It will be impossible for us to lead those we teach into the presence of the glory of Christ, so that they delight in doctrine and find deep fulfillment and pleasure in learning Him, unless we ourselves are in the practice of engaging this divine and supernatural light. Put another way, unless seeing Jesus, and growing in Him, defines our daily walk, we won’t have much to give others to help them grow in the Lord. The challenge to us is to seek the face of Jesus by every available spiritual means, that we may then, with glowing reports, urge and lead those we teach to enter into His presence and glory as well. For here, before the face of Jesus Christ, is where real transformation takes place (2 Cor. 4.6).
How are you thinking about improving your own approach to learning Christ, so that you know more of this divine and supernatural light each day?
The vision of Christ
To grow in the knowledge of the Lord we must nurture a clear and compelling vision of Him, exalted in glory, dwelling amid holy angels and glorified saints. We must see Jesus, with the eye of the heart, so that we may grow in Him day by day. Our book, Be Thou My Vision, provides 28 days of daily meditations, guided by our Celtic Christian forebears, into the Biblical vision of Christ. Order your copy by clicking here.
A more focused vision
If you prefer a more focused look at the vision of Christ exalted, we have prepared a free PDF, Glorious Vision: 28 Days in the Throne Room of the Lord. In these mediations you can let Psalm 45 and some of the great fathers of the Church lead you into a deeper appreciation of the beauty and glory of the Lord. For your free copy, just drop me a line at [email protected].
The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations from Jonathan Edwards, “A Divine and Supernatural Light,” in Edward Hickman, ed., The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. Two (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1995), pp. 12 ff.
