THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

As I have quietly sought God’s guidance on a letter of encouragement that I want to write to two people going through some of the most difficult times imaginable, I have not been able to find the right words to say, and so I have continued to wait upon Daddy for clarity of thought and word. (If you can just ask Father God to provide me that clarity when you pray I would really value those prayers right now).

However, He is good, and always wants to reveal and teach me/us more and He has set my mind to thinking in other areas this weekend and once more I share the thoughts I have had here.

This weekend has seen so many towns, villages, cities and private households gathering together to celebrate November 5^th, Bonfire Night. And of course the night would not be complete without the lighting and release of several thousands (if not millions) of fireworks.

And for just that split second they light up the night sky with different shapes and patterns, different noises and different colours. But all of that is just for the briefest moment in time………….whoosh and it’s all gone for another year till we buy some more.

The firework exists for one thing and one thing alone. To be lit, launched, and to explode, in fantastic colours and patterns, nothing else, just that.

A firework that is brought from the shop and remains in what I am sure is very bright and colourful packaging, is absolutely and totally useless, and will never fulfil the potential it was designed for.

You can place it on the shelf in your room and you can look at it every now and then and think “Yes, that is a fine looking firework, and it is meant to provide a wonderful burst of colour when we let it off”, but you just leave it there on the shelf.

Until the day you remove it from the packet, light the fuse carefully, stand back and let it “go” it will never achieve the purpose and potential that was planned for it.

As I pondered the firework quite a number of thoughts came to me regarding the subject of “light” and how my observations of the firework may have something to do with living and walking the Christian path.

Are we not sometimes like that firework?

Light To The World

We all look great in our “church”, our exterior is just perfect, but when we are inside those four walls (or however many walls you have) we are fairly well “hidden”. The church is a “safe” place, dare I even say our “comfort zone”.

Jesus never said to us believe and be baptised and organise meetings inside buildings you can call churches.

Do not misunderstand me. A corporate place of worship is absolutely fine and should be an integral part of our Christian walk. Somewhere where we meet together for fellowship with other believers setting aside some time corporately to praise and worship our Father and receive teaching and encouragement and refreshing. All good!

But the call Jesus placed on us was so much more. Let me just share a few examples all related to “light”:

          Ephesians Ch 5 vs. 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”.

Luke Ch 11 vs. 33 – 36 “No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house”.

John Ch 3 vs. 21 “But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see God at work in what he is doing”

Matthew Ch 5 vs. 14 – 16 “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”.

John Ch 8 vs. 12 “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life”.

So once we have discovered the light of God’s mercy in our own lives we are called to be a light to the world. A dark place that has turned it’s back on the true light that faith in Jesus provides.

I am sure you all know that when a match is lit in a darkened room for the time the match is lit the darkness goes and is replaced by light. Where light is darkness simply cannot be.

So we really need to decide what we are going to do with the light that is inside each one of us.

We can stay in our comfort zone, and remain safely protected by the walls we build up around us to keep “the world” out. We may be lit (we may have accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour) but that light remains hidden form the people who need to see it, those people who do not yet know of the love of God for each and everyone of them. In fact it is just like the firework, in this fantastic packaging but never going to do anything because we leave it safely tucked up inside that packaging.

We must step out and take what we have been given to those outside our protective walls. And whilst for those called to do exactly that in lands outside of our own, for most of us that actually starts in our own homes with our own families, then onto our own neighbours, villages, towns and counties. It’s so close to home that we rarely see it.

Recently our minister put a notice up over the doors that lead out of our church building, a message for each and every one of us “Now you are entering the mission field” – How True!!

If we still remain in our comfort zones, behind those four walls we will be even more like that firework and we will never reach the potential we have and we will never achieve the plans that God has for us.

How many times have you been encouraged by a fellow brother or sister when they tell you they think you have a real potential for worship leading, prayer ministry, teaching, preaching anything……but we do nothing about it, just continue along as we have done every single day, not changing anything we do, and therefore never reaching our full potential, never really grasping all God has for us, like the firework, we look great and the potential is there we need to get out of the packet though!!

          Jeremiah Ch 29 vs. 11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the

Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future

and a hope”.

John Ch 14 vs. 12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father”.

If we are ever to grasp the plans He has for us and achieve “even greater” (WOW if that doesn’t blow your mind I am not sure what will – “even greater” than Jesus did WOW!!) than our Saviour achieved then we have to break out of the package we have built up around us.

We need to let the Holy Spirit light the fuse and release us into the darkness and allow the light that He has placed within us to shine forth. we need to allow the Holy Spirit (unless we allow Him he cannot do a work in our lives) to fill us and keep refreshing us. The lighting of the fuse is just the first step. We ned to continually be refiled with power and energy that comes from Him and keep that fuse/flame lit in our hearts so that we can seek after His calling and chase after and receive the plans He has for us and truly reach the potential person we were originally designed to be in Him.

And finally here is where we can be (and are) so different to the firework. The firework has a few seconds where its colours shine out and it makes beautiful patterns.

The light of Christ does not burn out and does not fade. It remains strong and firm at all times. And it remains with us at all times. We must simply step out, get unwrapped, light the fuse paper and go out into our families and neighbourhoods and just let Gods light shine through us.

Foe me, in the words of the chorus:

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

Let shine, let it shine, let it shine!!

What about you??

God Bless