{Light}

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light...and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them...But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it said: 'Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.' " - Ephesians 5:8-14

The idea of light has been very fascinating to me recently. Jesus is the light of the world, and as followers of Jesus, we are also commanded to be the light of the world. But why? Light has a profound effect on darkness. Even if there is just a small light in a dark room, it will penetrate the whole space. What was once unseen will now be visible. Light wakes us up and pierces our eyes in the morning. The light of the sun is so powerful that we can't even look directly at it. Likewise, the light of the Son is powerful. We were asleep in darkness, oblivious to the truth, but Jesus shined his light upon us and woke us from our slumber. Jesus continues to pierce our hearts and exposes the darkness in our lives. His power is undeniable, and once we truly encounter Him, we cannot be the same. Once Jesus has impacted us, He will permeate throughout our lives. And in turn, we will spread His light to others and expose the darkness in the world around us. We cannot be "children of light" if we ourselves have not truly experienced the life-changing power of Christ.

I received the following graduation card recently regarding light. Normally I think greeting cards are cheesy and insignificant, but this one struck me deeply. It is not a Christian card either, but I think it perfectly describes the light that we as followers of Jesus are called to be in this dark world.

"If I could give you anything, I would give you a candle that burns as brightly as the light within you. I would tell you to keep it burning, no matter what. I would say don't let the well-intentioned extinguish it. Don't let the mean-spirited blow it out. Don't let your light flicker and fade because of everyday challenges and concerns. The world is large, and no one can illuminate it alone, but it is amazing how a single candle, burning brightly, can light so many others. The world needs your light. Hold your candle high." - Hallmark

The world doesn't need my light; it needs the light of Christ! If we hold up His light, people will be drawn to it and changed for eternity. I pray that I would be a beacon of light for the remainder of my days.