A dear friend of mine brought up these words as she told me of something that had been prophesied over her. For some reason, those words have stuck in my head and heart over the past few days. We always hear the words "You are the light of the world, a city on a hill." We hear about how we are God's image bearers. We hear we are His representatives here on earth. We hear the world is a dark place, desperately in need of the light of Christ, the light of the hope we have within us.
But how often do we really "get it."
I'm realizing a lot lately how much I "know." I grew up in church, I know the right answers. Someone says something I've heard before and my response is usually (mentally) "Yeah, I know, I know." But do I really?
Do I really grasp the concept of what it means to be a light bearer? Christ says to His disciples "You are the light of the world...let your light shine before men."
What does that really mean? We sing the little kids song "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." What does that mean?
I love the Lord of the Rings. When I hear the words "light bearer" I think of Frodo. Partially because he was a ring bearer, but mostly because of the picture of him holding the pure light of Earendil in the midst of the filth, darkness and evil of Shelob's lair.
I think that's a pretty good picture of how we look spiritually in our world. Or should look.
Picture with me your town. I'm in Eugene. One of the pagan capitals of the world. It's a dark place. There is death, decay, destruction and horror everywhere. Not to the naked eye. But put your spiritual eyes on with me here. Lives torn apart, lies believed and embraced, demons worshiped. Darkness, blindness, filth. Much like Shelob's lair. Snares, entanglements and webs everywhere. And we have an adversary. Who would much prefer that we leave his turf. And if he can keep us in the dark, he's got the upper hand. He can lead us into anything, any web to take us out, if we can't see where we're going.
But we can see where we're going. Or, we should be able to see and discern where we're going.
We don't have the light of Earendil. But we have something even better and more powerful.
We have the light of Christ.
The light that reveals, guides and causes darkness to flee. The light that is pure, clean, healing and restoring. The light that keeps the enemy blinded and gives us the upper hand. Darkness cannot exist where there is light.
So in your world today, in your town, in your work, in your school, in your home- do not fear the darkness. Regardless of what destruction may be going on all around you, regardless of the hopelessness, regardless of the lies and evil all around. Do not fear. Do not give up. Do not give in. Do not allow your light to be belittled or extinguished. Cling to the hope of Christ. Let that hope drive you. It will shine out of you.
Though there is utter darkness everywhere, we do not walk as those who cannot see. Walk forward light-bearer.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." -Ephesians 6:12
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." -John 1:4-5
No comments:
Post a Comment