A Burning and a Shining Light

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Jesus said that John the Baptist was "a burning and a shining light." He added to that by saying that He had a greater witness than that of John, and that His works bore witness of Him that he was sent by the Father. It is clear that Jesus is "the Light of the world." There are what seems like literally hundreds of scriptures that speak about light that have to do with Jesus Christ. Jesus did not speak about Himself being a greater light, but One that was sent to finish the work given to Him. Luke records John the Baptist being in prison, and sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if he were the One to come, or should they (the Jews) look for another?

Jesus answered, "Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." Luke 7:22-23.

The burning and shining light seemed to have dimmed in prison, but the answer that Jesus gave him was all but it was enough. John accepted the unexplained. And I believe a light shone in his cell, and in that light he lived till his prison door opened, and he stepped across its threshold in the the Land of Light. Look at Paul the Apostle. Paul's "hired house" was probably a room in a crowded lodging house. It is not likely that he could have afforded more. He was of course chained to a soldier; the four walls of his room made a prison. There must have been noise, crowding, loneliness, no privacy, not much outlook, little if any beauty and, above all, a terrific temptation to feel as tough he were not getting on with things. The golden secret of courage is found in the presence of our Lord.

Perhaps some of us are sorely tempted to think that just now there is not much that is "burning" about our lives. Some are ill, some have duties of very simple sort. Where does burning come in? Where did it come in when John the Baptist was shut up in prison? He could not do anything but just endure, and finally not be offended, and not doubt his Lord's love. But when Jesus spoke of him, He said, He was a burning and shining light. He still is ever a burning and shining light, and so is everyone whose hearts are burning within them that love Jesus Christ. "Did not our hearts burn within us as He opened unto us the scriptures?"

"Of all the things in the world that can set the heart burning, there is nothing like the presence of Jesus." Charles Spurgeon