Light

I have a friend whom God plucked out of the Mormon religion. She lives far from me, but every time I see her, I get to see her shine. God uses her story to minister to others powerfully. When people have questions about Mormonism, she can shed light on a complex subject. She has understanding and wisdom about something that we just don’t have. I appreciate that. Makes me sad what she had to endure for that wisdom, but the relationship she has with Jesus…she sheds light where God has her.

We each have an area that we know well. Isn’t it interesting that most of the time it is an area that we wouldn’t have picked for ourselves? I mean, maybe you did, but being an expert on living with chronic pain isn’t what I saw as my area. I mean, if I had a line up to choose mine, I would have chosen some like international travel…

Yet out of our stories God spreads hope to others. He gives others a chance to see the light, even when the light gets a bit dingy. Or kinda loses its way and tries to make up excuses for some sin in her life, oh what? Where was I?

““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16 NASB1995

Imagine the darkest place you have ever been. A cave. Northern United States, away from all the city lights. Or, a time when the electricity was down because of a storm. We had five days, many years ago, where a storm came through, cutting power lines. We had no power and so the only light was flashlights, the only sounds were people and generators and cars. It was wild. But at night, it was so dark. We would turn on a flashlight and the room would transform as light invaded dark.

Picture Jesus’ imagery here. A city on hill, of course, cannot be hidden. When you look up you see. Remembering their light came from flames, there would be foolishness to put a basket over it. Why waste the source of light? The oil? No, this is precious light. You use it carefully.

The Light of the world is calling us to be the light of the world. Think about that for a moment.

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.””

John 8:12NASB1995

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.””

John 3:19-21NASB1995

“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

1 John 1:5-7 NASB1995

In thinking about this whole subject of light/dark, and memorizing those verses today, it impacts me the vast differences. Light and dark show their fruit pretty quickly, don’t they? If you are walking with people who are full of the light of Christ, I think that becomes evident. Dark just looks like the rest.

Honestly, this is very convicting to me. How I speak, how I act, how I think, do I glorify my Father who is in heaven? Thinking over my last few days. I could make excuses. I could blame. Or, as I have been called, live as a child of the light. Walk forgiven. Walk redeemed into situations that are challenging. Yet, this is the promise I have, I walk in the Light, I have fellowship, and the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin. I declare.

And I come back to the Sermon on the Mount. To the words of Jesus, let your light shine before men, that your good works will glorify your Father. It begins now. It begins today.