The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. ~ Psalm 19:1

In order to truly see the night sky we have to drive an hour or more towards the center of the state (we live in Florida), distancing ourselves from city lights.  I never realized the magnificant display of the night sky that’s concealed under city lights.  Excessive artificial light creates what’s known as light pollution.  The glare and brightness creates clutter and decreases our visibility.  What a paradox that man made light conceals the handiwork of God in the splendid expanse of the Milky Way.

Ironically, in an attempt to illuminate our world, we have shrouded our eyes from the glorious heavens.  In a crime against the heavenly realms we have tainted the purity of night through the pollution of counterfeit light.

The blinding glare of artificial light reflects an image of pride.  Pride is the original sin, the conception of crime.  Stay with me while I swing on some stars and make my way through the constellation…  The ultimate paradise was lost when Lucifer aspired to the height of God himself.  In rebellion he and was cast out of heaven. “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” ~ Isaiah 14.12.  Satan, who leads the whole world astray was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

St. Augustine wrote, “Pride is the commencement of all sin because it was this which overthrew the devil, from whom arose the origin of sin.  Lucifer looked upon his own beauty, wisdom, and attributes created by the Lord and decided he would raise his throne above God.”

The pollution of mankind is evident in this age of narcissism.  We shine spot lights fixating on our own self image.  As we exalt and illuminate ourselves, pride infects our sight causing a distorted view of reality.  Pride is a crafty art that paints our ugly sins as beautiful and commendable work.  We must crucify our spot light and crucify it consistently with the sword of the spirit, the word of God.  Keeping our hearts in constant check.  Unchecked pride spreads like cancer corrupting even the best attitudes and efforts.  The more we focus on self, the bigger our ego, the brighter our glare, the more blind we become.

The false gospel of self is as deceiving now as it was in the transgressions of the Garden of Eden. “For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” ~  2 Corinthians 11:14.  It was the sin of pride that lead Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.  She was lured by Satan into thinking she could be like god, knowing all good and evil.  Many churches have given up theology in exchange for psychology, principles, self care, self help, self acceptance, self, self, self… the pill of self esteem.  A twisted presentation of Christ as genie in a lamp who gives us the desires of our heart, instead of the light of the world that saves us from the death of our desires.  “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” ~ Jeremiah 17:9  We need to be saved from the corruption of our heart, not lured into following it.

Pride is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool.  Humility is a powerful counter and witness to Christ in this narcissistic dominating age.  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” ~ Phil. 2:3–4.

In the same way our heavenly night sky, our universal inheritance, is becoming unknown to modern generations.  Our heavenly father, our universal creator, is becoming unknown to the world.

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:4-7

When we turn from preoccupation of self and look to Christ we reorient from a blinding glare of self to the true light of Jesus Christ.  The word of God cuts through the blindfold and opens the eyes of the heart.  “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” ~ Ephesians 1:18

Just as the current night sky is diminishing at the speed of light, an hour will come when this upside down kingdom will be flipped right side up.  “There will be no more night.  They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.  And they will reign for ever and ever.”  ~ Revelation 22:5