No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar, nor under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, in order that those who enter may see the light. Luke 11:33
In a certain mountain village in Europe several centuries ago, so the story goes, a nobleman wondered what legacy to leave his townspeople. After much soul-searching, he decided to build them a church. Nobody saw the complete plans until the church was finished. When the people gathered, they marveled at its beauty. But one noticed an incompleteness.
Where are the lamps?” he asked. “How will the church be lighted?”
The nobleman smiled. Then he gave each family a lamp. “Each time you are here, the area in which you sit will be lighted. But when you are not here, some part of God’s house will be dark.”
Today we live in a world of rampant darkness, dim paths on which even our secular problem-solvers are visibly stumbling. In spite of AI (artificial intelligence) and its colossal accumulation of our advances in areas of academic, economic, medical, social, psychological, and even in spiritual enlightenment, all around us is evidence of our increasing ignorance, illiteracy, and wicked imaginings. Romans 2:19 tells us that we, as Christ Followers, are “a light to those who are in darkness.”
And humanly speaking, we tend to think the world is so big and our lamps are so small. Yes – bur we can light some small part of each day. Just look to the star struck heavens. How small each star looks in the distance. Yet, put together, those tiny jewels can light the darkest night. Each of us is a star (or a lamp, if you will). We can make this world a brighter place. It all begins with the desired expressed in Michelangelo’s prayer: “God, grant me the desire always to desire to be more than I can ever accomplish.”
Prayer: Father God, You are my lamp and may I always reflect Your love to the dark world as I journey through. I trust my life will be a radiant light guiding other people to You. I want to keep my lamp full of oil (empowered by Holy Spirit) so my path will be lit by Your glow. Amen
Action: Light your lamp. Allow God to send you in a new direction today. Meet someone at the crossroads of his or her life and share your light and oil.
Inspired by and adapted from Emilie Barnes Minute Meditations 1999