I was reading a devotion in “Today’s Light” and I want to share a concept found there. The part that caught my eye was this sentence:
A second grader once asked his science teacher, “where does the darkness go when I turn on the light?”
Interesting and kind of fun question. It hit home for my wife and I last Tuesday. About 4:00 am the power went out. When I got up at 5:30, it was pitch dark. Which begged the question… where did we put the flashlight…and why is it so far from where we are? It’s interesting that the fear of total darkness disappears the instant we turn on a flashlight, match, candle…..and eventually when the power comes on (4 1/2 hours later) at the flick of a switch. Jesus came into the world to overcome the darkness (of Satan, sin, death). And yet, Did He come to turn on a light switch? No! He is the Light!
John 8:12…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.”
The reality is that through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior…Darkness, sin, Satan do not have control over us! We live in “The Light” we find in John 12:46…I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. Fantastic news!! Jesus overcomes the darkness of our fears, shame, and distress over our sins.
But what about Matthew 5:16…In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. What is that all about?
Once upon a time, a little candle stood in a room filled with other candles, most of them much larger and much more beautiful than she was. Some were ornate and some were rather simple, like herself. Some were white, some were blue, some were pink, some were green. She had no idea why she was there, and the other candles made her feel rather small and insignificant.
When the sun went down and the room began to get dark, she noticed a large man walking toward her with a ball of fire on a stick. She suddenly realized that the man was going to set her on fire. “No, no!” she cried, “Aaaaagghhh! Don’t burn me, please!” But she knew that she could not be heard and prepared for the pain that would surely follow.
To her surprise, the room filled with light. She wondered where it came from since the man had extinguished his fire stick. To her delight, she realized that the light came from herself.
Then the man struck another fire stick and, one by one lit the other candles in the room. Each one gave out the same light that she did.
During the next few hours, she noticed that, slowly, her wax began to flow. She became aware that she would soon die. With this realization came a sense of why she had been created. “Perhaps my purpose on earth is to give out light until I die,” she mused. And that’s exactly what she did.
God created you and I to produce light in a dark world.
Like that little candle, we all can produce the same amount of light, no matter how small or insignificant we may feel. But we can’t produce light until we receive it from an outside source. That source is Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Also, like the little candle, our job is to shine! If we try to preserve ourselves, our lives will be meaningless. But if we are willing to “lose our lives for Christ’s sake,” we will find our true purpose and meaning.
Reminds me of the classic children’s song…
This Little Light of Mine, I’m going to let it shine.
This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine
All around the neighborhood
I’m going to let it shine
All around the neighborhood
I’m going to let it shine
All around the neighborhood
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine
How about you? Do you have the Light of Jesus? If not, get into His Word in the Bible.
Is your light shining the way for others to have that same light? Who can you let your shine so they will see and believe in Jesus…the Light of the world?
HUMOR FOR YOUR DAY:
- Two blondes fell down a well. One says to the other one, “Isn’t it dark down here?” She replies, “I don’t know. I can’t see.”
- Chuck Norris sleeps with the light on, not because he is afraid of the darkness, but because the darkness is afraid of him.
- What did God do after he created a 24 hour period of alternating light and darkness? Called it a day.
- When I was young I used to be afraid of the dark… now when I get my electric bill I’m afraid of the light.