Matthew 5:14-16

 

We were just finishing up our lunches and getting ready to head out to our son’s flag football game. A small electronic buzz was heard throughout the house and then silence as all of the electricity coming into our house stopped. Ceiling fans slowed quietly to a stop, clocks went blank, lights went out, and we realized that we were without power in the midst of the wild wind storm. The storm was a remnant of Hurricane Ike that barreled through Texas and then whipped back around through the middle of Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, and more. Fortunately those of us in Kentucky did not have nearly the severity that Texas suffered, but several hours of strong winds wrecked havoc across the state by knocking down trees and felling power lines. 

 

Our afternoon was filled with the football game, and we fully expected that when we got home from the game several hours later, we would have our power back. However, we proceeded through the entire evening without any power. The kids thought it was great having all of the candles and flashlights throughout the house because there was no power. Finally about 7:30 p.m. we decided just to send everyone to bed because there was not much else to do. We read the kids a story by candlelight and tucked them in. 

 

My husband and I stayed up for a few more hours after the kids had gone to bed talking and reading Bibles by candlelight, too. We opened up the doors and windows to get some fresh air moving through the house because the air conditioning and fans had been off for so long. That is when we started noticing all of the other houses in the dark of night. Most everyone had candles going somewhere in the house. The candle lights were distinctive, even from a great distance, as we could see some of the houses in the back of the neighborhood with flickering movements of the candle flames dancing in the darkness. I began to think about how amazing it was that I could see such a small flame across the span of our neighborhood.

 

God began to speak to me about what it means to be the light of the world. Just as the verses above indicate, those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior have His light glowing inside us, just waiting to be let out. Instead, we normally hide it within ourselves, especially at the first sign of tribulation or persecution so that others do not see the light. Jesus does not want us to hide His light under a bushel; He longs for us to shine so that the rest of the world will see and be attracted to it. 

 

Just like the flames that we saw piercing the darkness, Jesus’ light in us can shine across the distance. Micah 7:8-9 says, “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD’s wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. He will bring me out into the light, I will see his righteousness.” 

 

We have all sat in spiritual darkness at some point in our lives. Whether it was before we knew the Giver of Light or after we had already accepted Him, periods of sin have cropped up in our lives blocking out Jesus’ light. The good news is that Jesus’ light is more powerful than anything else, including pitch black darkness. As long as we will allow Jesus to light our candle with His flame, our lights will shine again. 

 

Most importantly, when we get into heaven, there will be no need for candles, flashlights, suns, or moons – and there will never be any power outages. Revelation 21:23 indicates, “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” God’s glory is light. He shines for all to see. Will you run to Him today and allow Him to light your flame? Will you reflect His light out into the world for others to see, too? There are times that we are the only Jesus that some people will ever see, and we have to be willing to share His light with everyone that we meet.