Father of Lights

Reading:   Lectures on Faith: Lecture Second 1-12

The lectures on Faith were classes of instruction given "... On the Doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, originally delivered before a Class of the Elders, in Kirtland, Ohio."

The first twelve paragraphs of this lecture do a recap of the first two chapters of Genesis.  The driving force behind this recap is for the express purpose of showing the object for which all faith rests, God. In the beginning, literally, there are a whole lot of verses that start out, "And I, God.." or "And I, The Lord God..." Each of these verses go on to explain something that God created, put into effect, or  made known; this is significant because it puts His unequivocal stamp on all of creation. The entire spectrum, from molecule to universe, has origin and life through God.

LECTURE SECOND (paragraph 2)

 2. We here observe that God is the only supreme governor and independent being in whom all fullness and perfection dwell; who is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient; without beginning of days or end of life; and that in him every good gift and every good principle dwell; and that he is the Father of lights; in him the principle of faith dwells independently, and he is the object in whom the faith of all other rational and accountable beings center for life and salvation. 

There are a whole lot of "Omni's" in that paragraph - all powerful, all around, and all knowing - I think there is enough overlap in those three Omni's to cover everything, don't you?  Anyway, I often reflect on the significance of light and dark and find the statement "...he is the Father of Light," so illuminating (no pun intended).  So often we hear the term, "light and life" and how appropriate that the Father of Light is also the giver of life.  There literally is no gap in his "all."  Any possible loophole exits and enters within the bounds of Him, all, Omni, everything!

It is important to understand that we have our agency and are given the right, the freedom, to make choices as we deem fit.  We are not hindered in this capacity, it is our gift from him and though we operate within these "tabernacles of clay", as Mormon so eloquently stated, that God created, and we actively pursue our chosen endeavors within the boundaries of this world (universe) that God also created, there is no limit to the darkness we can produce within it - we are free to choose that path; however, if we choose light, and desire to produce as much light as we can, there too is no limit.  The difference lies solely in our desire and ultimately in our faith.  We learned what faith is: the first principle of power, and the power behind that faith, the object for which that power comes, is God, beyond even the limits of limitless, Infinitum, all power can be accessed through Him.

How do you like them apples?

~Kipling