November 4, 2011
Turning On the Lights
Lori Fairchild
We hope you are enjoying the Girlfriends in God daily devotions. We (Mary, Sharon, and Gwen) would like to introduce you to some of our special friends. From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry. We call them our "Friday Friends." So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee and drink in the words from our "Friday Friend," Lori Fairchild.
Today’s Truth
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12, NIV).
Friend to Friend
My friend’s 5-year-old daughter, Lexi, likes to have the lights on. It doesn’t matter if it’s the middle of the day; she wants the lights to be on. She goes around the house and turns on every light switch, even the outside lights.
Her mom told me she once came home and found not only every light in the house turned on, but every closet door in the house open as well. Lexi was apparently shining light into all the dark corners of the house.
Now, this might just be an amusing quirk of childhood, except for one thing. Three years ago, Lexi was adopted from a Russian orphanage. I don’t know how much you know about Russian orphanages, but they’re not well-funded institutions. There are lots of kids and not a lot of anything else. In her young life, Lexi was most likely hungry, lonely and scared. When my friends adopted her, she had never been outside the grounds of the orphanage.
I don’t know how much Lexi remembers about the orphanage, but I think her soul was left with a permanent yearning for light – both physical light and spiritual light. That orphanage in Russia may have had lights, but it was an emotionally dark place. Whether Lexi knows it or not, it left her with a need for light in her life.
Yet, Lexi isn’t really that different than the rest of us. We all yearn for light. We may not have spent our early years in a literal “dark place” like a Russian orphanage, but we have all walked in darkness. Yet our souls yearn for light.
Sometimes the world can be a dark, lonely and scary place. At times it may seem like we’re walking down a dark tunnel that seems to have no end.
Yet, that’s not what God has in mind for us. We don’t have to walk in darkness. He sent His Son to die for us so we could walk in light. Jesus told us “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12, NIV).
Have you ever noticed when you turn on a light in a dark room, the darkness disappears? Even a small candle brings light into darkness. Darkness can never overwhelm the light. It must flee when light appears.
When Jesus enters the picture, evil and darkness must flee. With His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated death. He defeated Satan. And He defeated the darkness.
Just as a candle lights a room, so Jesus lights our lives. And the great thing about Jesus’ light is that it’s unlimited. Unlike the candle that will eventually burn out, Jesus’ light is eternal.
He wants to lead us with His light, but Jesus also wants us to share that light with others – to bring light into the darkness of their lives.
Jesus said “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV).
If you and a friend were trapped in a dark cave and you found a source of light, would you hide it from your friend, letting her sit in darkness while you took in the light? No. You would share it so you could both find the way out.
Jesus is that light – the one that leads the way out of despair to hope. We do our friends a disservice when we choose to hide the light of Jesus from them. He wants us to shine His light into all the dark corners of our worlds.
We never know when our friends are seeking a light that we can provide. Don’t let the fear of rejection or embarrassment keep you from letting your light shine to your friends. You can never go wrong by letting the light shine and forcing darkness to flee.
Let’s Pray
Lord, let me be a light in the darkness. Help me to shine Your light into all the dark corners in my world. Don’t let me be ashamed of Your light and try to hide it. Let my friends and family see Your light in me and yearn to bask in its glow.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Jesus’ light cannot be overcome with darkness. Every time you flip a light switch today, remind yourself that darkness must flee in the presence of light – and there is no greater light than Jesus. Memorize this verse. Say it whenever you turn on a light.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcomeit. (John 1:4-5, NIV)
More From the Girlfriends
Want to make spiritual truths come alive for your kids but feel pressed for time? Check out Lori’s Everyday Truth blogand Facebookpage to garner some quick, practical ways to share God’s truth with your kids even as you live a busy life.
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Originally published Friday, 04 November 2011.
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