[Adeodata's Heart] Light Saver
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Adeodata
May 5, 2010, 8:41:03 PM5/5/10
to adeodatas-he...@googlegroups.com
The following is a true story about my husband in his teen years.
Scott's daddy's car was stuck! He had just dropped off his “Beautillion” (a character recognition event for young men) dance partner and began his venture back home hoping to make curfew. The sky was quickly darkening and his sense of direction failing. A bit panicked, he decided to make a u-turn over the highway’s grassy median, muddied by yesterday’s rain. As the car descended the small slope, the wheels lodged and refused to ascend the other side. Hoping to create some traction, he grabbed his daddy’s overcoat, and placed it under the front tires. This resulted in overcoat ruin and deeper stuckness! He looked around for help and in the distance saw a light. Daringly crossing over four highway lanes, he climbed a fence and began running towards the light. The rain soaked field tugged at his cowboy boots with each step. “What is that sound?” he thought. It grew louder and louder. With even greater intent, his eyes focused on that lone, steady light as his legs picked up speed. Something with big hoofs was chasing him! If only he could get to the light. He jumped the fence and finally made it. Exhausted and wide eyed, Scott knocked on the little farm house’s door. A somewhat puzzled countenance greeted him. Huffing and puffing, Scott explained his dreadful plight, and asked for help. The gentlemen quickly obliged. The car was pulled from the median, and Scott was safely directed home.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
This scripture tells us that we, God’s redeemed, are the “light of the world”. Strong’s Hebrew Greek Dictionary uses the following metaphor to help define “light” in this particular passage: “of truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it”. In other words, Christ’s redeeming and sanctifying work in us, should show through us, to those around us.
Are we letting our light/life shine in such a way that others know they can count on us in dark times? Does our light/life reflect the person of Jesus causing others to want to know Him for themselves? Or is our light flickering, dimly lit, hidden in the confines of our safe, Christian community? Did you know that flickering lights have been known to cause dizziness and confusion (not to mention, they can be quite annoying)? And dimly lit rooms do a good job of hiding the sometimes ugly truth!
How do we let our light/life shine?
1. Turn it on
We can’t “let our light/life shine” if we don’t first turn the light on. We must plug into the one and only True Light Source.
John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life’".
John 12:36 "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light."
2. Keep it on
If we are not continually connected to the Source, our light/life will dim and flicker. This often causes confusion, resentment, and/or rebellion against God for those who heard we had the answers.
John 15:5 "I (Jesus) am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
3. Share it
(..let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven …) We need to actively and boldly find ways to show and share the love and salvation of Christ with those around us so that they too can know the Father.
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1:16
When Scott saw that lone light in the distance, he was convinced that it would bring a halt to his fear, direction to his destination, and reunion with his father. Lord, let our relationship with you be such that wherever we go, whatever we do, whoever we talk to is transformed by the light of Christ flowing through and out of us. May we never be content to safely blend into the background, but instead boldly stick out for all the world to see.
--
Posted By Adeodata to Adeodata's Heart at 5/05/2010 05:41:00 PM --
To go directly to the "Adeodata's Heart" website follow these links:
www.emptywithouthim.blogspot.com/
Adeodata's Heart
Scott's daddy's car was stuck! He had just dropped off his “Beautillion” (a character recognition event for young men) dance partner and began his venture back home hoping to make curfew. The sky was quickly darkening and his sense of direction failing. A bit panicked, he decided to make a u-turn over the highway’s grassy median, muddied by yesterday’s rain. As the car descended the small slope, the wheels lodged and refused to ascend the other side. Hoping to create some traction, he grabbed his daddy’s overcoat, and placed it under the front tires. This resulted in overcoat ruin and deeper stuckness! He looked around for help and in the distance saw a light. Daringly crossing over four highway lanes, he climbed a fence and began running towards the light. The rain soaked field tugged at his cowboy boots with each step. “What is that sound?” he thought. It grew louder and louder. With even greater intent, his eyes focused on that lone, steady light as his legs picked up speed. Something with big hoofs was chasing him! If only he could get to the light. He jumped the fence and finally made it. Exhausted and wide eyed, Scott knocked on the little farm house’s door. A somewhat puzzled countenance greeted him. Huffing and puffing, Scott explained his dreadful plight, and asked for help. The gentlemen quickly obliged. The car was pulled from the median, and Scott was safely directed home.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
This scripture tells us that we, God’s redeemed, are the “light of the world”. Strong’s Hebrew Greek Dictionary uses the following metaphor to help define “light” in this particular passage: “of truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it”. In other words, Christ’s redeeming and sanctifying work in us, should show through us, to those around us.
Are we letting our light/life shine in such a way that others know they can count on us in dark times? Does our light/life reflect the person of Jesus causing others to want to know Him for themselves? Or is our light flickering, dimly lit, hidden in the confines of our safe, Christian community? Did you know that flickering lights have been known to cause dizziness and confusion (not to mention, they can be quite annoying)? And dimly lit rooms do a good job of hiding the sometimes ugly truth!
How do we let our light/life shine?
1. Turn it on
We can’t “let our light/life shine” if we don’t first turn the light on. We must plug into the one and only True Light Source.
John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life’".
John 12:36 "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light."
2. Keep it on
If we are not continually connected to the Source, our light/life will dim and flicker. This often causes confusion, resentment, and/or rebellion against God for those who heard we had the answers.
John 15:5 "I (Jesus) am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
3. Share it
(..let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven …) We need to actively and boldly find ways to show and share the love and salvation of Christ with those around us so that they too can know the Father.
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1:16
When Scott saw that lone light in the distance, he was convinced that it would bring a halt to his fear, direction to his destination, and reunion with his father. Lord, let our relationship with you be such that wherever we go, whatever we do, whoever we talk to is transformed by the light of Christ flowing through and out of us. May we never be content to safely blend into the background, but instead boldly stick out for all the world to see.
--
Posted By Adeodata to Adeodata's Heart at 5/05/2010 05:41:00 PM --
To go directly to the "Adeodata's Heart" website follow these links:
www.emptywithouthim.blogspot.com/
Adeodata's Heart
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