There is something so deeply beautiful about the gathering of the saints. And if it is as wonderful as it is for man, can you just imagine what it must look like for God! God says He is the light of the world, as well as the light within. “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”” – JOHN 8:12. So, as all the saints come together in the natural, then in the spiritual, all the torch bearers convene and come together too, into a single, striking assembly, like a magnificent and beautiful sunrise appearing before the presence and sight of God. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that you may see our good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – MATTHEW 5:16. May the sunrise gatherings of His beloved children be so beautiful that they are long remembered in the mind and heart of God when this world will one day be gone. But before this world is gone, and the new one comes, may the light that is upon us and within us be the light that shines so brightly that it “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – JOHN 1:5. May we be like the burning bush of Moses, on fire, but not consumed, a light so intriguing and unusual that it draws all those who are in the shadows to Your glory like moths to the flame.

"At Your name,

the morning breaks in glory.

At Your name,

creation sings Your glory."

     At the same time, there are many for whom the light has not yet come. “This is why it is said: Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” – EPHESIANS 5:14. For these are they who walk yet still in the shadow of darkness. Many have heard of the expression of "Dead Man Walking". For those who may be unfamiliar with it, it is a phrase that applies to those people in prison who are on death row, who have been waiting for their date of execution. It refers to when they are walking from their cells down the corridor passed all the inmates to the dreaded execution chamber. So whilst they are physically still alive, they are technically ALREADY dead, as the death penalty has already been declared and proclaimed over them. It's the same thing for those who have seen the light on the hill, but do not believe upon Jesus Christ. They are alive, but effectively all "dead men walking". And for those who do believe, it is the same for those who don’t love. They are alive, but technically dead!! Like the servant who hid his talent in the sand, instead of being the light of the world, as a city set on the hill that cannot be hidden (MATTHEW 5:14). And this is why God calls us not only to “communion with Him”, but also to “community with man”, so that we may be living torch bearers of love and hope wherever there be dark. 

     In so doing, in the spiritual, we become as those in the natural who carry the Olympic flame. As the very first runners, we are to TAKE the lit baton from Him through first "communion with Him", and then we are to not keep it for ourselves, but we are to then GIVE the baton to others through "community with man". And as our sleeper neighbour then wakes up when the light disturbs the dark, and rises from the dead to receive the baton, Christ will then shine upon them too, and in so doing a multitude of Olympic torch bearers will then ensue and ignite. And in so doing, darkness is divided, weakened and conquered through the love of community that comes from the love of communion. For we are called in GALATIANS 5:25 to not only live in the light (communion with the Father), but to walk in the light too (community with man). “Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you.” – JOHN 12:35. Which speaks to the talent being taken from the one who buried it in the sand. Whilst the Spirit is given for our benefit (living in the Spirit), the gifts have been given for the benefit of others (walking in the Spirit). 

   And just like the Olympic flame is to never go out, it is the responsibility of "community with man" to ensure that the new flames of the new family members of Christ not only don't go out, but that each new member of the community of torch bearers is to pass the baton on to the next neighbour in a never ending cycle of life and demonstration of loving one's neighbour as oneself, so that the "five loaves of bread and the two fish” in MATTHEW (which represents sharing of the bread of life and being fishers of men), will not only multiply and feed the poor and the hungry, but so that His kingdom may come, and His will be done. And in so doing, the Olympic flame of His glory will light up the sky for all to see, like a city that cannot be hidden. “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth”, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw a Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” – REVELATION 21:1-4.

     An interesting question is will the new body that we have in the new heaven and earth, and the new Jerusalem, have a tear gland?

     And so that we love our Father with all our heart and mind and strength, and love our neighbour as ourself:

"I will offer up my life,

in spirit and truth.

Pouring out the oil of love,

as my worship to You."

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." - 1 TIMOTHY 1:17.

God's richest blessings, Wayne Biehn