The Lord As Love And Light

By Stephen Russell-Lacy

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the whole “love and light” thing—the kind of peace and insight people often find through meditation or religious belief. But now I want to address the question: Is the idea of The Lord actually helpful in connecting with something bigger than ourselves?

The term comes from Emanuel Swedenborg—a bit of a spiritual all-rounder: philosopher, mystic, theologian. His take? The Lord is the Divine Human. Sounds intense, I know. But stick with me.

A Divine Being… with Heart, Mind, and Hands

Swedenborg wrote from a Christian perspective, but honestly, his idea of the Lord might speak to anyone, regardless of religion. At the core of it is this: the Divine is like a warm light of love and wisdom that touches us deeply. Not just up in the clouds, but in our hearts and minds—something that both holds us and flows through us.

He paints a picture of the Lord with a compassionate heart, a wise head, and powerful hands. Not materially but nevertheless very real. The image is clear. This “Divine Human” isn’t just a superhuman version of us. It’s something way beyond us—but that we can still somehow reflect in our own tiny, imperfect ways.

A Bit of a Paradox… but That’s Okay

Now, here’s where it gets a little head-bendy. A lot of spiritual traditions—Christianity, Hinduism, you name it—talk about the divine being both within us and beyond us at the same time. Sounds contradictory, right?

In the Hindu Upanishads, there’s this idea that your highest self (Atman) is the same as the ultimate reality (Brahman). But Swedenborg is clear: the divine spark inside us isn’t ours. It’s something we receive—it belongs to the Lord. Kind of like a light we reflect, not one we produce.

And without even that small reflection inside us, we might never be able to recognize anything truly good or beautiful outside of us.

Why It Helps to Have a Picture in Your Mind

Swedenborg—and writers like Paul Vickers—say that if we want to connect with something as huge and mysterious as the Divine, it helps to have some kind of image or idea. Not necessarily a literal face, but something that feels human and relatable.

Think about someone you love. You might not remember the color of their eyes, but you know them deeply through how they make you feel. That’s kind of how it works with God too. You don’t need a perfect picture—you need a relationship.

Enter Jesus: The Human Side of the Divine

Swedenborg’s idea of “The Lord” is rooted in the life of Jesus. Not just the historical figure (though he was very real), but the spirit of who Jesus was—kind, wise, selfless, forgiving. Jesus hung out with outcasts, healed people, stood by his friends, and suffered just like we do. And through that very human journey, he revealed something divine.

Swedenborg saw Jesus not as a divine visitor, but as the very heart of the Divine made visible—love and light wrapped in human experience.

So… Is That Divine Part in Us Too?

Short answer: Yes—but with a twist. Swedenborg believed we can all receive divine goodness, but it doesn’t originate in us. We’re like vessels. One’s however that can be filled with divine love and light. Jesus, on the other hand, was that divine essence.

When he said, “I am the light of the world,” it wasn’t just poetry. It was a statement of reality, if you take this view.

A Divine Friend in Tough Times

Let’s be honest: life gets rough. And in those moments, what most of us really crave is someone who sees us, knows us, and doesn’t disappear when things get hard.

This is where the idea of a deeply human God is so comforting. Not a distant judge in the sky, but a friend—someone you can actually talk to. That’s the kind of God a lot of people connect with in their darkest moments.

Prayer, in this sense, isn’t about reciting magic words. It’s like chatting with someone who gets you. Who loves you. Who wants what’s best for you, even when you don’t know what that is yourself.

Being Childlike (Not Childish)

Real spiritual strength often starts with our humility. Not the kind that puts ourself down, but the kind that says, “I don’t have to carry this all alone.”

As strange as it sounds, trusting in the Divine often looks a lot like a kid trusting their parent. It might feel a bit silly at first, but that childlike openness? That’s what makes deep faith possible. That’s what opens the door to something bigger.

What About the Trinity Thing?

Now here’s a tricky one: how can God be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and still one?

Swedenborg’s take is refreshingly simple. He suggests it’s a metaphor. Not three separate gods, but three aspects of one Divine Human—just like each of us having mind, body, and spirit.

The Father is divine love itself—mysterious, vast, and hard to grasp and infinitely beyond our capacity for compassion.
The Son is divine wisdom—something we can understand and relate to, like the teachings of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is the power of that love and wisdom moving through us—the divine in action.

So, rather than three separate beings, the one Lord is a beautiful, multi-layered presence.

Wrapping It Up

In the end, transcendence isn’t about escaping being human—it’s about becoming more human. Love, wisdom, kindness, courage, compassion—these are the qualities that connect us to the Divine.

Swedenborg’s “Lord” is a way of understanding that connection through someone human-shaped, someone familiar. It gives us a way to pray, a way to reflect, and maybe even a way to live more fully and deeply.

Because sometimes, what we really need is not a cloud of cosmic energy, but a warm light, a kind face, and a wise voice that says, “I’m here.”