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Oriented toward the light

Perhaps you remember this smile-worthy summer scene from last summer: a huge field of sunflowers, their yellow heads uniformly turned toward the east. For several weeks, this field was a photography magnet.

It’s striking how sunflowers appear to all “look” in the same direction. We assume they’re facing the sun to maximize reception of solar energy, for health and rapid growth, and sunflower plants do track the sun’s motion across the sky during the day. But only until they bloom. Once the flower heads open up, they lock in their final orientation, eastward. Scientists call this sun-tracking motion heliotropism, and the mechanism by which sunflowers move by the fascinating name (for a plant!) “motor cells.”

For various physiological and psychological reasons, humans all need sunlight to thrive. And our food crops (and the plants our meat-producing animals consume) require sunlight for photosynthesis and growth. Without sunlight, there would be no life as we know it. (Maybe mushrooms would take over!)

Yet we cannot (or should not) look directly at the sun. On the afternoon of Aug. 21, parts of North America will see a total eclipse of the sun; where we live, the eclipse will be partial. Even with most, or all, of the sun blocked by the moon, the intensity of light will still be such that permanent damage to the eyes can result from looking directly at it.

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul wrote that God “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.” (1 Timothy 6:16) “But then,” he also wrote, “we shall see (him) face to face.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)

In the second book of the Hebrew Bible, Moses asked to see God’s face; “but,” God warned Moses, “no one can see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20)

And yet, Job declared, “After my body is decayed, yet in my body I will see God!” (Job 19:26)

And given a vision of eternity, John “saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne (of God) and the Lamb (of God), clothed in white robes and with palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, ‘Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!'” (Revelation 7:9, 10)

Genesis speaks of “the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light (the moon) to rule the night.” Then, almost as an afterthought, “He made the stars also.” (Genesis 1:16) Stars are beautiful, but all useful light is derived from “the greater light,” the sun.

Jesus said, “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his or her deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he or she has done has been done through God.” (John 3:20, 21)

We might assume that this refers to some kind of “lesser light,” and not the “unapproachable light in which God dwells.” But there is another light, which is in no way “lesser,” and which is eminently approachable. John described this light as “the true light that gives light to everyone.” (John 1:9) That light is Jesus, the incarnate manifestation of God in this world.

Early in Jesus’ ministry, a man named Philip excitedly told his friend Nathanael that he’d found the person sent by God to save the people. Nathanael wasn’t so sure, so Philip simply said, “Come and see for yourself!” Several years later, some Greeks came to Jerusalem, to worship at the Passover, and they approached one of the disciples and asked him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” (John 12:20, 21) Turns out, for Nathanael (and perhaps, for the Greeks), seeing was believing! And seeing requires light.

As one of my favorite hymns says,

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“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in his wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace.” (Helen H. Lemmel, 1922)

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If we, like sunflowers in their youth, in the interest of life and health and peace, seek the brightest light that ever we can see, we will “lock in” the eyes of our heart upon Jesus, and grow to maturity in his true light. And even if we ourselves cannot yet see the face of God, we have this assurance: That, as Jesus said, our “angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10b)

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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week’s column comes from Rev. Bruce Wallace, a retired minister serving as Assisting Elder of the State College District, United Methodist Church.

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