Tag Archives: Being Light to the World

Conduits of Light

Living in the Spirit
May 31, 2018

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:5-12

For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. –2 Corinthians 4:5-6

When we profess to represent Jesus Christ, we best know him well. How would we feel if someone spoke on our behalf saying things we never addressed and supporting things we never championed in a manner alien to our ways of being?

Jesus even faced his demons immediately following his baptism*. The same ones with which we all must deal: greed, pride, and lust for power. Paul had a life-changing encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus which apparently drove him into the desert** for three years of study/contemplation on what had happened before he started his ministry and he was already a well-trained Hebrew scholar.

If we want to let Christ’s light shine through us, we first need to clean our windows. They not only cannot be crusted in the dirt and dust of our lives, but they also must not reflect through stickers of our own designs.

Prayer:
Lord, the light of your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness, shining
Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us
Set us free by the truth you now bring us
Shine on me, shine on me
Shine, Jesus, shine 

As we gaze on your kingly brightness
So our faces display your likeness
Ever changing from glory to glory
Mirrored here may our lives tell your story
Shine on me, shine on me***. Amen.

*Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13
**Gal. 1:18 Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days;
***First and last verse of Shine Jesus Shine lyrics © Mechanical Copyright Protection Society Ltd

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

God’s Light

Epiphany
January 21, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:12-23

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
   on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ –Matthew 4:12-17

The writer of Matthew felt a strong need to establish Jesus’ credentials related to Jewish scripture and thought. It is interesting looking back over someone’s life and in hindsight seeing where all the puzzle pieces fit. Though not an exact science, it is often meaningful. Jesus learned much from the Hebrew prophets and John’s ministry; most likely understood from John’s death that Jesus’ death was imminent. Perhaps that is why he returned to Galilee and focused on training a cadre of disciples to carry on the work. One voice crying in the wilderness is not enough.

When I was a child, we laid on the flatbed of a truck on hot summer nights seeking relief from the day’s heat. The only light came from the moon and the stars in the sky and fireflies. I loved to watch fireflies. With all the lights in the city, it is rare for me to see a star anymore much less a firefly, but my faith tells me they are still there. In a world, plush with artificial light, it is important that we remember we are called to be the light of a world that may not see the truth of God’s love because of the flooding of the world with beams of lesser lights.

Prayer: Lord, help us be light to the world that is lost in darkness while at the same time blinded by artificial light. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.