Saturday, October 06, 2007

The Empire of Light

" The Empire of Light II" is a famous 1954 painting René Magritte, which shows a street lamp in front of a darkened row of houses. Were it not for the street lamp, the details of the houses behind it would be lost in the darkness. Behind the houses and the trees, however, is a brilliant blue sky with puffy white cumulus clouds. When the fullness of the dawn arrives, the importance of the street light will fade into oblivion.

When I discovered the painting in the Des Moines Art Museum back in 1978, I was struck by the power of the metaphor in describing our relationship to God. There are times when we shine. We give a glow to the neighborhood in which we live and the people around us. That glow pales in the light of God's love for all of us.

Isn't it sad when we allow our yearning to be in control and in charge to blind us to the reality that we all are all in God's hands. He is indeed in charge. It is his world in which we live even when we think we are in the control.

There is a peace that comes when we can celebrate just simply being who we are, without excuse or explanation. Like that street lamp in the painting, God has created each of us for a significant purpose. Discovering that purpose and accepting it is a major step toward the abundant Life Jesus calls us to live. It is limited by our humanity.

Realizing that we are not God and that our lives and our love pales in comparison to His, is another important step. We are not made less significant by acknowledging our relationship to God. Indeed, we become fulfilled when we realize the brilliance of his glory.