Up! let your face be bright, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is shining on you.
Isa 60:1
A short while ago I bought new bed linen. Bright yellow. Together with an orange sheet it was an explosion of colors in our bedroom. But at night, when we went to sleep, all was black. Nothing shiny and bright. No details recognizable. Why? There was no light.
In the morning, when the sun rose, everything first turned gray. First contours started to appear, very raw and rough. Slowly, colors started to be seen, becoming brighter and brighter. Contrast was added, as were details – and shadows. The moor light, the more colors and details.
When the light grows even brighter, colors and details start to wash out, and all that is left is a bright shine. Another translation for the verse above: Stand up and shine.
We are in a time that the omer is counted. It starts at Passah, and every day a corn of wheat is put into a bowl, until – and you guessed it – the omer is full with 50 seeds and Pentecost is here. When the time was fulfilled.
That reminds me of something in our culture: the calendar in advent. Every day we open a window, and we know – Christmas just got a little closer. Our expectancy grows. Just as it is with the omer.
It is no accident that in the omer they count seed. Externally seen, because the two feast are harvest feasts of wheat and barley. But on a deeper level? Did not Jesus say: if that seed does not fall in the ground and dies, it abides alone?
Seed results in fruit. Just like faith results in fruit. The omer is a symbol for our faith. We build our most holy faith through constant sowing of seed, and our expectancy grows.
But something else happens at the same time: the light turns on. Again it is no accident that God created first the light.
With each seed, each step of faith the light grows brighter. We start to see. Details and colors become apparent – and shadows.
Our bedroom was the same in the night as when day broke. We did not add anything or take anything away. When Jesus died on the cross, it was finished. All is done. But without faith it lies dark. But when we sow our faith, the light goes on, and we start to see.
We see colors we never saw before. Our life becomes a bright display of colors. Details. We start to remember what we live for. We see God’s plan, more and more. We see shadows, and start to eliminate them. It is finished – and we start to believe it. We start to change our thinking, what leads to different habits. And the shadows are gone. The light shines brighter.
Is there an end to this? In photography there is perfect illumination. No shadows, no light reflections, high contrast, full colors, clear details. Or should we overexpose and play with the effects?
When we see Jesus on the mount of transfiguration, we see him bright and shining, such that even his cloths started to shine. That shows us that there is no end to this process.
The process starts within. The light goes on, and our needs, worries, fears are put into the right light. Our flaws and sins – shadows – are taken away. Better put: it becomes apparent that they are gone. Since the cross. But we do not have to stop there. The light breaks forth and breaks out, people start to ask what happened with us – we are changed. We shine.
In this time in the plan of God that will happen in a very special way. Tabernacles, the manifestation of the sons of God, God in our midst.
And the town has no need of the sun, or of the moon, to give it light: for the glory of God did make it light, and the light of it is the Lamb.
Rev 21:23
We know who the city, the town is. We are – the bride of Christ. It will happen in us, through us, out of us. Just like with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration the light, the glory of God will break out of us, and from there into the ends of the world. It is finished. Let us just keep on counting the omer, building our faith, and it will manifest. We will manifest. As sons of God. Why not tomorrow.