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The Two Lights

WELCOME TO TODAY'S WORSHIP SERVICE

July 5, 2009
 


The Two Lights:

A Service of Readings and Songs


Open your Bible





Light a candle




Opening Song

Morning has Broken
Cat Stevens
 

READINGS

 
FROM THE BIBLE

The following passage in Isaiah discusses the Lord’s Coming and the
light brought to the nations—in other words, a new church, and specifically
the individuals who are in shadow but welcome the light and are
being reborn. [Swedenborg's introduction to the passage]

Rise, shine, because your light has come! Look—shadows cover the
earth, and darkness, the peoples. And Jehovah will dawn above you;
and the nations will walk toward your light, and monarchs, toward the
brightness of your rising. Jehovah will become an eternal light to you.
No longer will your sun set, and your moon will not withdraw, because
Jehovah will become an eternal light to you. (Isaiah 60:1, 2, 3, 19, 20)



 
Bible reading in song
 


 
Swedenborg Reading

In the fourth stage, love stirs and faith enlightens us.  Before this time we may have spoken devoutly and yielded a good harvest, but we did so in a state of trial and anguish, not at the call of faith and kindness.  In consequence, they are now kindled in our inner self, and are clled the two lights.  Secrets of Heaven, #10




From Genesis I:


14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
 15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
 16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.


Song
Light of a Million Morning

Regine Velasque
  



17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
 18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
 19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Song
Here Comes the Sun

Nina Simone


From Swedenborg

[3] Love and faith work the same way in our inner being as warmth
and light work in our outer flesh and are therefore represented by
warmth and light. This is why the lights are said to be placed in the
expanse of the heavens, or our inner being, the greater light in our will and
the smaller in our intellect.51 But they only seem to be present there, just
as the light of the sun only appears to be in physical objects. It is the
Lord’s mercy alone that stirs our will with love and our intellect with
truth or faith.

Song
I Saw the Light

 

32 Love and faith are first called the great lights, then love is called the
greater light and faith the smaller light. It says that love will rule during the
day and that faith will rule during the night 

 

 Reflection
 

Sun?  Did someone mention sun?  Like in sun shine and warmth?  Maine has seen very little sunshine in the past few weeks. We are experiencing rain ... rain ... and more rain.

It seems unfair somehow.  We have sooo much winter every year!  We count the days until summer.  Now, here they are; bringing rain.

Yet, Swedenborg says:

Love and faith work the same way in our inner being as warmth
and light work in our outer flesh and are therefore represented by
warmth and light.

So, even when there is no sun in the sky, I can find love and faith inside of myself. They bring warmth and light to the inner me.


 
 SONG
There is Sunshine in my Soul

 
Our closing prayer is a meditation to allow the sun to rise in our soul.
 

Sunrise Meditation
 



CLOSING SONG
This Little Light of Mine

Extinguish your candles

   



And close the Bible.            
 

 
Go forth; allowing your inner light to shine brightly.