By Your Light We Are Enlightened

Readings:
Psalm 36
Ephesians 5:21-33

Focus:
Psalm 36:9b: "By your light we are enlightened."

In our Western culture today many sources of enlightenment have been proposed. The wisdom of undeveloped cultures is highly sought after, and folk knowledge possessed by other peoples is valued. The sacred books of non-Christian religions are held in esteem by many. Less valued is the traditional wisdom built up through the ages in Western culture, and even less valued is insight that can be gained from the Bible. Most of all we are advised to look within ourselves for wisdom.

Though all these sources of wisdom have ideas of value in them, it is from the Bible, and from a relationship with God, that true wisdom can chiefly be gained. God is the real source of all wisdom. We cannot find any wisdom in ourselves that he did not create and inspire. And we are so prone to error that we cannot trust our own wisdom. It is only what we learn from God that we can utterly trust. It is only by his light that we are truly enlightened.