day no. 12,723: the torches that you have kindled‏

Isaiah 50:10-11

 

¹⁰ Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant?
Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
¹¹ Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
and by the torches that you have kindled!
This you have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment.

 

The opposite of canDeo is “can do.”

 

As in a “can do” attitude.

 

If canDeo means “I shine” and the I is understood to be Christ alone, “can do” is the constant warring against that says, “No, I shine! (without You)”.

 

Those who strive to light their own fires and equip themselves with light inherit torment.

 

We must urge people to resist the spirit of the age’s invitation to find a spark of light within one’s self. It is heresy!

 

There is no inner light.

 

There is Christ and there is darkness.

 

Two categories.

Mutually exclusive.

 

Isaiah states some seek to equip themselves in order to see and interpret the world around them, to see life, to see salvation.

 

The author of Hebrews states the saints are equipped by the light of Christ to accomplish His glory, their good and the wisdom for living worthy lives in the light of His provision.

Hebrews 13:20-21

²⁰ Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,²¹ equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

He equips.

He works in us.

He shines.

He does it all.

Through Jesus.

 

And then He looks at us and has the audacity to say, “Well done, good and faithful.”

 

He makes us pleasing in His sight and then credits us with Christ’s accomplishments.

 

That will preach.

 

That will produce a response in kind that shouts, “to Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”

 

I love CanDeo.

 

I love that the name alone communicates the richness of Christ and the poverty of men, the light of God and the darkness of good enough, the anchor of hope and the failure of fostering flames by the feats of our fingers. If you bring unholy fire to God, you get burned. If you walk by the light of His consuming fire, you discover salvation.