Today’s Scripture Passage:
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)
We’ve all experienced that moment when we first turned off the light and we couldn’t see. That moment when we must give our eyes time to adjust to the darkness. How does that happen? Our pupils expand to allow more light to enter our eyes.
Our pupils are designed to regulate the amount of light entering our eyes.
What happens when we go from darkness to light? Our expanded pupils allow too much light into our eyes and creates a glare. Glare blocks our ability to see clearly.
This is the same thing that happens to us, and others, when the light of Jesus first shines into the dark places of our lives.
Sad truth? The brighter the light of Jesus is in us, the greater the possibility those who don’t know Him will either avoid us or lash out against His light in us.
Even worse, this also happens among those of us who are Jesus-followers. I’m talking about those times when our thought processes lead to words and choices that don’t fully align with what God’s word says is right. I can be offended by the light of Jesus in others when it challenges the way I think, speak, and act. I’ve even caught myself trying to defend those choices!
Moses wore a veil after he spent time in the presence of the LORD. Wearing the veil was for the benefit of the people. Moses didn’t totally cover the LORD’s light; he just exposed them to a gentler dose of light!
Okay, we’re back to where we started. It was Moses’ exposure to the Light of the LORD that caused his countenance to shine so brightly. The same is true for us.
Our continual exposure to the Light of Jesus makes our lives shine brightly.
Walking by Holy Spirit and living our lives according to God’s word exposes the dark places in our lives to His light.
Time spent in God’s word transforms the way we think about God, others, and ourselves, and transforms our choices.
Transformed by the saving love of Jesus and His word, we become lights whose actions help others see and praise our heavenly Father.
LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!
Digging Deeper:
Exodus 34:29-35 & Mark 4:21-22
This links you to a wonderful work written by Robert Boyd Munger in 1951. Microsoft Word – 2010-06-22 My Heart Christs Home – Final.doc (usna.edu)
If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.