LET THE LIGHT SHINE IN
SCRIPTURE VERSE: Genesis 1:3 God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.
1. LIGHT CHANGES EVERYTHING
– There is something about light that changes everything.
– It is as though light brings life to everything.
– I was recently looking at a certain painting and the painting looked dark and dull even though the subject matter was full of colour. I realised that what was missing was decent light. I found a light and directed it onto the painting and the painting came alive. All of a sudden you could see the detail, enjoy the colours and only then did I realise what a remarkable piece of work the artist had made.
– I have even realised that light can remove fear.
– As a little boy I was afraid of the dark. My Mom realised that I was fearful and so she agreed to leave the passage light on and my door slightly open. The comfort of that little bit of light removed my fear and I was able to sleep peacefully.
– Because of light we can see and we can see where we are going.
– Light is the basis of food production and without it we would run out of food.
– Have you ever noticed that the flowers on the sunflower plants will ‘look’ to the light of the sun and follow it during the day?
– Light is used in medicine, in communication and through solar we can even generate electricity – something very useful especially where we live.
– Is it any wonder that Jesus said, ‘I am the Light of the world’ or that He told us that because of His touch on our lives that ‘you are the light of the world’.
– The challenge is to let His light shine into our lives and through our lives to a dark world around us.
2. HIS LIGHT CAN SHINE IN OUR HEARTS
– It’s amazing to think that the Light of the world (Jesus) can shine His light into our hearts so that everything can change within our hearts and lives.
– His divine light comes to shine in us and change us.
– Some people’s hearts are heavy and burdened and there is the darkness of hopelessness and despair, but He comes to shine His light and change us from the inside out.
– 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, Who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
– God wants us to know and experience Him as a living reality and in order to achieve this He shines His light of hope, courage, joy, goodness and kindness into our lives so that we see things differently and be filled with hope and a positive expectation.
– The power of His light can even make us aware of the wrong we have done and then we can know the joy of knowing that sin can be removed from our lives because of His precious blood.
– 1 John 1:7 ‘But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.’
3. HIS LIGHT IN OUR LIVES CHANGES US
– If we embrace His light in our lives it will change the way we see the world.
– I recently had someone write to me to tell me how much she enjoys the Jacarandas at this time of the year. In the city where we live there are many of these Jacaranda trees. In fact, our city is called the Jacaranda city with thousands of trees lining the streets. During October a beautiful purple flower emerges from the barren sticks and this extreme flash of colour is seen all over the city. It is a sight to behold. But she was telling me about her husband and she said that he cannot see the beauty, he is only aware of the ‘mess’ it creates and he does not share her appreciation for the beauty.
– Sometimes our own ideas and perceptions block us from being able to enjoy the truly beautiful things in life.
– I think back to the years when my children were growing up. These were challenging times but they were filled with beautiful and precious memories and I would consciously try to enjoy every moment. I would often become consumed with the responsibility, but I would always try to become more aware of the blessing that I was privileged to be part of.
– I believe that the Lord wants to come and remove the veil from our eyes so that we can see things from His perspective. So that we can see the fleeting beauty and moments of joy in order for us to see things differently and in the process be transformed.
– 2 Corinthians 3:18 ‘But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.’
4. DARKNESS DESTABILISES US
– When we become more aware of the darkness than the light it has the power to destabilise us.
– In our home we have a long passage and at night it is a dark place. Sometimes when I get up at night and walk down the passage it feels like I’m losing my bearings. The darkness causes me to move to the right or the left instead of going straight. I have often found myself drifting into the wall en route down the passage. But at the end of the passage there is a motion detector and as I move down the passage it activates and a red light comes on and lights up the passage and suddenly I can see that I’m not where I’m meant to be, in the centre, but rather I’m walking into the wall.
– When we spend too much time in the darkness, or focusing on the darkness, it begins to influence our judgement.
– As a young boy my parents took me to visit the castle in Cape Town. It has a dungeon that, once you are in it and the doors are closed it is completely dark. We were part of a tour group and they took us into the dungeon and closed all the doors. They then asked us to turn around on the spot a few times and then asked us to move towards the door. Everyone was bumping into everyone else and no one really seemed to know where the door was. It was a bit scary for some of the people. Then they opened the doors and light came in and people began to laugh because they realised how lost they were in such a small space.
– Darkness is not the place you were designed for. It has the power to destabilise you, but His light has the power to let you be free and to be able to make progress.
5. DON’T BE A LOVER OF DARKNESS
– Darkness can come in many forms.
– There is the darkness of stubbornness and thinking that your view is the only correct view.
– There is the darkness of hopelessness, despair and depression.
– There is the darkness of discouragement, doubt and fear.
– There is the darkness of sin and doing what we know is not right.
– There is the darkness of anger and frustration.
– There is the darkness of evil and wickedness.
– Darkness in all its forms should be repelled and rejected.
– Don’t get comfortable in any form of darkness that tries to overwhelm you.
– The Lord wants you to be free from all this and it happens as we move towards His light and embrace Him and His light and truth in our lives.
– John 3:19 – 21 ‘This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.’
– The truth will set you free – what an awesome concept.
6. LIGHT BRINGS CONFIDENCE AND STRENGTH
– When we are walking in the light we can be empowered and step forward with confidence.
– If our hearts are flooded with His light we can be filled with confidence and hope.
– Have you ever struggled during the night with fears and concerns and then when the sun comes up you wonder why you had such a struggle?
– Psalm 91:5 ‘Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night…’
– There is something about light that gives us confidence and strength.
– It is the same with His light in our lives, it removes the fear and doubt and fills us with hope and boldness.
– John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people and said, ‘I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.’
– Following Jesus brings with it the reality that we will never need to walk in the darkness again – regardless of what form that darkness may take.
– He wants to give you the ‘light of life’.
– This speaks of the ultimate hope, regardless of what may be going on around us.
7. PURSUE HIS LIGHT IN YOUR LIFE
– His light is available to you and me.
– Go after it and pursue His light in your life.
– Let the light shine in and don’t entertain any darkness that would like to get a foothold in your life.
– 1 John 1:6 ‘If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.’
– Remember that darkness may be a challenge for us but is no problem to God.
– Psalm 139:11-12 If I say, ”Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.
– No amount of darkness can extinguish the light of one candle.
– Proverbs 4:18 ‘The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.’
– Let the light shine in and let Him, the Light of the world, light up your life and flood your life with His light.
– We can’t do without it!
By Andrew W Roebert
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