Good Light, Bad Light

Most local poker tournaments are played in bars, which can be pretty dark inside.  At The Red Barn this past week, the Tournament Director told someone how to turn on an overhead light.

"Let there be light!" the Director then said.  "God's first command...."

Hmmm.  We know this man is a believer in God.  But was he right about this?  Let's check the official record:

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. - Genesis 1:3

This is the record of "creation week."  But deep Bible students realize there's a record of pre-creation as well - the time when the angel Lucifer rebelled against God.

How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! - Isaiah 14:12 (KJV)

A check of Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 shows no command from God toward Lucifer, so our Director's statement is correct.  But consider that name a moment.  The Contemporary English Version translates Lucifer by the meaning of the name: "the bright morning star."  Lucifer was bright.  But now as Satan, the devil is quite the opposite.

Giving thanks to the Father.... For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son he loves.... - Colossians 1:12-13

Satan is called "the god of this world" in II Corinthians 4:4 - a world which the Bible calls "darkness," whether we'd like to believe it or not.

Lights are turned on in bars on poker nights so everyone can see the cards.  (Yet some players wear sunglasses - but that's another issue.)  And to see life more clearly, we need the light of God in us:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. - I Peter 2:9

As you play poker and live from day to day, whose light are you reflecting?  If you're involved in sinful activities, you're reflecting a bad light -- the light of Lucifer.  Wouldn't it be better to be a shining example of God's goodness, reflecting His light to others?