Father of Lights
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~ 3 min read
Hi there! Welcome to Well Lit Soul where we seek God, face darkness, and shine brighter. Today’s blog is called: Father of Lights.
Something happened in bible class this week that doesn’t occur too often. I came across something in the scriptures I had never noticed before, and I was particularly delighted! This quarter we are slowly and carefully studying the book of James. As we came to verse 17 in chapter one, I noticed a name for God I had never seen before, “Father of lights”.
Now, God has many names within the bible: 1-LORD, 2-Abba, 3-Most High, 4-Almighty, 5-Father, and the list goes on. But I had never seen God referred to as the “Father of lights”. Ever since I started Well Lit Soul, I’ve been particularly attuned to mentions of light, soul, and spirit in the bible. So seeing God referred to as the Father of lights turned my own light up a little brighter.
2. Mark 14:36
3. Daniel 7:25
4. Ruth 1:20
In the NKJV, James 1:17 says, “Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.“ This verse sits within the context of James, half-brother of Jesus, writing to the first century churches encouraging them to have a deeply rooted faith. Reminding them what rewards will come when you endure temptation, and ultimately how to live in alignment with God’s law.
Now, I have great familiarity with the first part of the verse “Every good and every perfect gift is from above”. I often hear this passage discussed as though it stands alone. And the narrative is usually focused on God’s goodness and His perfect timing and unfailing nature. And while that is true, you can see there is SO much more to understand when you look at the verse in its fullness.
When you look at “...and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” in this immediate context, you can see God as the Father and Creator of the physical lights in the world, but unlike the sun, moon, and stars, He does not change or vary. Although He makes the earth turn and the seasons change, He Himself is steadfast and always the same. So you know He will always provide good and perfect gifts because that’s what He has always done and that’s what He will continue to do.
But I also think it’s appropriate to think of the Father of lights as the Father of spiritual lights. The rest of James 1 speaks to the mindset and actions we need to develop and maintain to protect our souls. Because God created us in His image, He knows the work required to keep our souls clean, our spirits whole, and our lights bright. So He provides ample instructions on how to do so. I immediately think of Matthew 5:14-16 and Matthew 6:22-23 as examples.
So I am deeply encouraged and inspired to have a new (to me) way to refer to God. “Father of lights”. And as I mentioned in the last post, I can (and will) spend the rest of my life learning and practicing all of the instructions and guidance God provides on how to nurture and protect our inner light. And I am making it my life’s work to share those learnings with you.
Connection Question: What are some questions or concerns you have about nurturing your light for God? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to connect with you about it.