In a Brief Moment

Written by Daniel Nalbantsky (Russe, Bulgaria)
This material is copyrighted © June 10, 2002 by The Upper Room, P.O. Box 340004,
Nashville, TN 37203-0004, and is used by permission of the publisher.

Read Acts 9:1-19

It is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"
who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NRSV)

     When I take a photograph, I am amazed that it requires only a fraction of a second for the light to pass through the camera lens and make a picture.  All the details are clearly seen in the picture, every object and every color.  The camera is dark inside, and the film seems unchanged.  But during the brief moment the lens is open, light enters and creates an image on the film.
     The story of Paul reminds us the human heart can be a closed, dark space.  But God has put inside each of us a light-sensitive component capable of perceiving heavenly things and holding true images of them.  Before that miracle can happen, something must "snap" inside us, removing the scales from our spiritual eyes.  That "something" is a work of God.  Even though the experience may endure only for a brief moment, it is enough to allow the light to penetrate and make an imprint on our soul.  From that moment, for us as for Paul, transformation begins.

Prayer: Father of light, there's no shade of change in you.  Enlighten our minds and hearts to see the miraculous things that exist beyond this earthly darkness.  Amen.

Thought for the Day
Look for the light of God to break into your life.

Prayer Focus: FOR GREATER OPENNESS TO GOD'S LIGHT.

In a Brief Moment, written by Daniel Nalbantsky (Russe, Bulgaria).  This material is copyrighted © June 10, 2002 by The Upper Room, P.O. Box 340004, Nashville, TN 37203-0004, and is used by permission of the publisher.  Thanks goes to Marilyn Beaty for her assistance in obtaining permission for me to use this meditation.

The Upper Room - http://www.upperroom.org/

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