OUR LIGHT MUST SHINE
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”
Mark 4:21-25 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
In the days of Jesus, a home was lit by lamps made of clay dishes filled with oil. There was a wick put in the oil that was lit to provide light to the house. For there to be light the lamp had to burn the oil. The oil had to be replenished regularly. If the lamp was not lit or the lamp was covered up it did the home no good. Jesus uses this common illustration to teach a spiritual truth about the kingdom of God. God’s Word is truth and light. When we listen to God’s Word, we take into ourselves His truth. This truth become light inside of us. When we have the truth, we are responsible to share the truth, not hide it. Truth that is not shared is like light hidden under a basket or bed—the room is in darkness. If our world is full of darkness, it is not their fault; it is our fault because we are supposed to be the carriers of light. We must constantly refill our lives with God’s Word, or we will run out of light and be ineffective in our world. Light has several functions. Light gives us guidance—we can see where we are going. It is easy to get lost in the dark. Our world is full of lost people because they have no one to show them the light. Light also protects us from danger. More than once I have hit my toe or shin on furniture trying to walk to the bathroom in the dark. A simple light would have helped me avoid the pain. Many in my world are living in pain because they keep hurting themselves by repeating the same mistakes over and over. They have no light to help them avoid the problems that cause the pain. I personally like to think of the oil as the Holy Spirit and the wick as the Word of God. Both are crucial to bring light into our world. We must have the Holy Spirit to be our Teacher and Guide. Then we must have the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will bring understanding to the Word. It takes both working together in our life. The Spirit and the Word. Don’t discount one as better than the other. Let’s get both working together in our lives.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit, I need You to be my Teacher and Guide. I want You to help me daily put God’s Word into my mind and heart. Show me truth that can be light through me for my world.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”