last sunday i was a part of the 9am worship service at lima community church. as the service began a family came and sat in front of us. it was a couple in their early to mid 40′s with a son who was about 13 and a daughter who might have been 10. as the music portion of the service was underway i couldn’t help but notice how they were all participating and really focused on what was going on in the service. (not that this is out of the ordinary, but i mean really focused and singing like they meant it.) then as i was holding molly the young girl raised her hands which got my attention. i looked to see her singing out to God with everything she had…i lost it.
she has a handle on something and i have been thinking about that all week.
i love the challenge we are given in ephesians 5. paul is writing to the church at ephesis. he starts out with this, “imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children.” (NLT) and then goes on discussing things that we as God’s children should not take part in. and i want to key in on verses 8 & 9. “for once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. so live as people of light! for this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.” (NLT)
before accepting Christ as my personal savior, i was in darkness. but when i accepted Christ i recieved light from the Lord. it exposed the darkness in my life and i was able to make the changes that were needed. this light can then shine for others to see, and see what God has done in my life. this isn’t just a light that i have been given for myself and i just keep it to myself. paul said that i need to LIVE as a person of light. that means the light has to shine for others to see.
immediately i’m reminded of matthew 5:14-16 where we Christ says that we are the light of the world and we need to let it, “SHINE OUT for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
this little girl…had light from God…she was letting it SHINE OUT…i was seeing it. i was definitely caused to praise our heavenly Father! i didn’t have to know her name and i don’t even remember what song we were singing. all i had to do was see the light shining and there was no questioning that light, nor where it came from.
this was all tied together by a song that i love and taught at first church, “marvelous light” by charlie hall. here are some of those lyrics…
lift my hands and spin around
see the light that i have found
oh the marvelous light, marvelous light
sin has lost it’s power, death has lost it’s sting
from the grave You’ve risen, victoriously
into marvelous light i’m running, out of darkness out of shame
by the cross You are the truth, You are the life, You are the way
i pray that my life SHINES OUT a marvelous light, not on me or on anything that God has given me, but in a way that causes other to praise my heavenly Father. i pray that the light from the Lord is not a light that i keep to myself. i pray that there is no darkness in my life that keeps this light from shining as bright as it should.
my challenge to you…so LIVE as people of light!
