Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” – Luke 10:23-24

Looking back to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, and my brief beach walk Saturday morning, I found a couple of seriously cool photographs I must have overlooked when I published my first story (“Morning Light“).

I am captivated by the color. Then I wonder sometimes if color even exists outside the parameters of light? You see, I stood there on the beach in the gray tones of the predawn, and watched the light pour over the horizon, flowing into my space, quite literally painting the seascape as it made its way to the shore.

Does light, then, create color? Or does light simply reveal it… release it… maybe give color its voice?

This is how I am with God. Does God’s light grant visibility to the Spirit of life that is waiting, latent, inside each one of us? Or does the light of God create something brand new, something that could not have existed without the divine spark?

I guess we might as well ask if there really is a beautiful butterfly inside the chrysalis? Well, yes. And, well, no.

All I know is that I do not, have not, cannot shine with any real vibrancy of color outside the reach of God’s life-generating light and love. I only know that I once was lost, but now I am found; I know that I have often been blind, but that – because of Jesus, I can see.

The man replied, “Whether [Jesus] is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” – John 9:23

The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.” – John 9:30

I see light; I see color; I see life; I see Jesus – DEREK