From Pastor Koshy’s devotion during last Tuesday Night Prayer Meeting

Why is God called “the Father of Lights”?
God is referred to as “the Father of light” because all good things come from Him. God authors only good things; and He alone is the author of all good things. The testimony concerning His creation in the beginning is that all that He created were “good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25) and “very good” (Genesis 1:31). All good and perfect gifts that we inherit come from Him.

A writer of 19th century, Canon Kingsley, wrote, “Can they (good and perfect gifts) come from our bodies? What are they? — Flesh and bones, made up of air and water and earth — out of the dead bodies of the animals, the dead roots and fruits of plants which we eat. They are earth — matter. Can matter be courageous? Did you ever hear of a good-natured plant, or an honest stone? Then this good-nature, and honesty, and courage of ours must belong to our souls — our spirits. Who put them there? Did we? Does a child make its own character? Does its body make its character first? Can its father and mother make its character? No. Our characters must come from some spirit above us — either from God or from the devil. And is the devil likely to make us honest, or brave, or kindly? I leave you to answer that. God — God alone is the Author of good — the help that is done on earth, He doeth it all Himself: every good gift and every perfect gift cometh from Him.”

What does it mean to say that God is “the Father of Lights”?
There appears that there is a primary reference in James 1:17 to God as the maker and originator of all the grand luminaries of the firmament — the sun, moon and stars of heaven. As their maker or originator of all those majestic orbs, the lights of the natural world, He is appropriately termed their Father.

God is “the Father of lights”, not only because He is the Creator of the sun, moon and stars, but also because He is the Governor of them. Not only has He kindled the luminaries of space, He is also the ruler and sustainer of all lights: physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual.

Have you noticed that the light is the brightest and purest of all material elements? Hence it is very often used in Scripture as an emblem of knowledge, holiness and joy — of whatever is most precious and perfect. This is why God, who is infinitely clearer and purer, is said to be the “Light”. All the glory of heaven, God’s glory, is also represented by the same symbol of “light”. The Apostle John said in 1 John 1:5, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

God, as the Author of all our spiritual and material goodness, receives a faint illustration from the sun as the source of natural light. “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). Henry Ward Beecher (1813–1887), an American congregational minister, wrote, “The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world’s joy. The lonely pine on the mountain-top waves its sombre boughs and cries, ‘Thou art my sun’; and the little meadow violet lifts its cup of blue, and whispers with its perfumed breath, ‘Thou art my sun.’ And the grain in a thousand fields rustles in the wind and makes answer, ‘Thou art my sun.’ So God sits, effulgent in heaven, for the universe of life; and there is no creature so poor or so low that he may not look up with childlike confidence and say, ‘My Father, Thou art mine.’”

If we think of our God as “the Father of lights”, we will have absolute confidence in His provision and protection through every circumstance that we journey. Consider the following Scripture portions that declare unto us that He will be our light in this world and the world to come.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).

“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall” (Malachi 4:2).

“That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9).

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” (Revelation 21:23).

So I suggest to you that we all pray the prayer of a Puritan who, during a debate, was observed to be absorbed in writing. His friends thought he was taking notes of his opponent’s speech, but when they got hold of his paper, they found nothing but these words, “More light, Lord! More light, Lord!” Oh, for more light from the great Father of lights!