He is the brilliance of the Father

He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.” (Hebrews 1:3 ESV)

Paul provided two descriptions of Jesus in this verse, each of which reveals an important characteristic of the one who we have been called to follow, to emulate, to become a representation of, just as He reflected the Father to us.

Jesus described Himself as “the light of the world.” He is the brilliance of the Father that shines into our lives, manifesting the love of God, illumining our way to the Father so that we can experience all that His love provides for us, His children.

“In Him [Jesus] was life, and that life was the light of men.” We couldn’t live without physical light that nourishes our bodies and the physical world around us.

Likewise, without the spiritual light of God, who is the source of all life, we would be lost in spirit and in “the shadow of death. – Maria Fontaine [1]

I am not what I could be, I am not what I should be, I am not what I would like to be, I am not what I hope to be; but I thank God that I am not what I once was. Like the great apostle I can say, "By God's grace I am what I am." - John Newton (1728-1807)

[1] Anchor Radiant Imprints