True Enlightenment
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
May 26
Mangi Tungi is a sacred spire that is revered in Jainism as the place that their spiritual leader Rishabhanatha is believed to have reached enlightenment after meditating here for several years. Pilgrims come to these twin majestic peaks to seek after this elusive spiritual knowledge. Enlightenment is a word hi-jacked by the secularists and mystics to refer to the apprehension of knowledge. Christ taught us that the true light of spiritual knowledge is only found in Himself. To come to know Christ is to truly have seen the light of life. Pursuing the knowledge that He brings delivers us from the dark deceptions of false religions and humanistic philosophy. The secularist claims his knowledge has freed him from the entanglements of religion when in fact he has chained himself in shackles of hopelessness. Mystics who claim to have found some ethereal nirvana by peering into themselves have shut every window and closed every curtain that allows the true light of life in. These self-indulgent philosophies have nothing to share with the world but bondage and deception. The gospel of Jesus Christ alone holds the promise of guaranteed eternal life and joy for every believer. Artificial incandescent lights may be entrancing but are powerless to give life to a plant. It is only the natural light of the Sun that provides what is necessary for life to grow and thrive. A counterfeit light no matter how luminous it may be, still brings nothing but death. Christ alone offers the light of life that will sustain us and bring growth to our souls. Shades of glimmering neon can fascinate us, but they are drawing us away from the true light as a moth unto a flame. The theatre thoroughly shrouds the audience in darkness to keep any outside light from penetrating in order to illuminate what they desire to present. The devil comes to us as if he were an angel of light displaying entertaining experiences with a promise to give us life. For us to observe such things we must shut ourselves out from the only light that will give us life. If we walk with Jesus, we will abide in His warm and life-giving presence. His light offers us not only light for life but clarity of vision to discern the truth and to keep us from stumbling on the rocks of error and the roots of sin. Those who know Christ and are walking with Him have been truly enlightened and are able to see clearly enough to aid those who are still wandering in the darkness. Under His gleaming countenance we blossom with hope and joy and produce a fruitful harvest of love that will be freely shared with all. Draw near to His light in prayer and you will become a beacon of hope shining the light of Christ into the lost world.
Daily Prayer
Radiant bringer of hope,
false teachers have offered me attractive counterfeits
to the knowledge of the truth.
Their fascinating toxic flames are poisonous to my soul,
they have no power to cultivate true life.
You did not discover some hidden knowledge,
for you are the embodiment of truth itself.
Illuminate to my heart the truth that comes only by
abiding and walking with you.