In my bathroom at home above the mirror is a light fixture that contains four 100 watt light bulbs. My wife affectionately calls my side of the bathroom “grand central station.” The reason I have so much light above my bathroom mirror is because I want to limpidly see my reflection. You see, I have a fixation with three things concerning my face—straggly nose, eyebrow and ear hairs, un-popped pimples, and visible pieces of dried nasal mucus. My greatest fear is to be caught in public guilty of displaying any of the “big three”.
Josiah and Ethan, my six and four year olds, insist on mom grooming them after they get out of the shower. They hate for their father to clean their noses because I will dig and dig and dig until I get every booger in their tiny noses. I can transform a tissue into a state of the art fishing pole. I get my catch every time.
In my office in my house, I have two 75 watt halogen indoor floodlights that are positioned directly above my desk where I read and prepare for my Sunday messages. At age thirty eight, I still have 20-15 vision. I attribute my good eyesight to two things. First, I thank God because he has blessed me with good genes. Second, all my life, I have always read and studied in very illuminated conditions. The good quantity and quality of light has kept me from straining my eyes and allowed me to clearly focus on my work.
Around the outside of my house, I have sixteen floodlights with automatic sensors. When we pull into the driveway at night, there is plenty of light to see. Also, this makes my wife feel safer when she is arriving home at night by herself. When all of my outside floodlights are on at once, it lights up like a football stadium. My boys love the bright lights especially when they go toad hunting in the summer. No amphibian is safe from two determined future crocodile hunters on a late night trapping expedition.
Like my family, I am sure you enjoy the privileges of modern technology in regards to illumination. Whether it’s driving at night, grooming yourself after a shower, reading, or doing some activity outside after the sun has gone down, all our lives are enhanced by light. Can you imagine what life would be like if we did not have the light bulb? Thank God for Thomas Edison.
All of us are the recipients of the benefits this wonderful invention has brought to our lives. However, not everyone improves their lives by allowing the most important light of all to shine in their hearts—Jesus Christ. Is Christ shining in your heart today? If so, it should be obvious for all to see.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12
It is the light of the Lord that illuminates us to live a life that pleases him. Only as his face shines upon us, can we make known on earth his salvation among the nations. Throughout history, God marked his people for a special purpose. More than anything else, what made God's people unique was the evidence of his presence.
From the creation of Adam to the building of his church, God has always desired to live and dwell among his chosen ones. As a people belonging to God, we have been foreordained to declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Only God’s Spirit can ignite his fire in our hearts, and wake us up to the reality of our destiny. As his fire burns within us, may his light shine from us in a way that would bring the world into fellowship with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the earth. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isaiah 60:1-3
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