THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE
I found myself on my knees tonight before I went to bed sending up prayers for people I didn’t know…the families and everyone else who has been affected by the deaths in our community over the holiday weekend.
In the days to come, facts will be uncovered and motives will become clear. But right now, how is it possible to make sense out of something that, on the outset, seems so senseless? And, more importantly, what do we as Christians do in a world that seems to be declining day by day?
We are God’s ambassadors here on earth. We are his representatives to tell the great story of His plan of redemption to the world. We do that by letting our light shine, by being examples to our neighbors, our co-workers, and our families and friends. We are here, as Pastor Keith puts it, to “splash Jesus” on others.
God’s plan, from the beginning, was to re-establish the relationship with man that He enjoyed with Adam in the garden, where He walked with him in the cool of the day. Throughout Israel’s history, His people alternately relied or Him or they largely ignored Him. Time and time again, God’s instructions to the people were either completely ignored or tailored to how they (the people) thought they should be carried out. But God was merciful to His people. He loved them so much that He gave them chance after chance after chance.
2 Chronicles 7:14…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
All of the instructions are right there. But it’s conditional…..and “if” is a big word sometimes. We must make the first move, and acknowledge Him as the Lord of our lives. We have to humble ourselves—it’s not always all about us. Far from it. Then we must pray, seek (again, our move toward Him), and turn (again, our choice). If we do all of the above, “then”. Then, it is God who responds to our obedience.
So, in light of the tragedies of the last few days, we need to acknowledge our need for God. We need to turn our hearts and our eyes towards God and allow His love to fill us. We need to let our families, our friends, our neighbors know that we care for them, and let them see God through us and our actions.
There is a saying that goes something like this: “Be careful how you live. You might be the only Bible some person ever reads.”
Let your actions speak louder than your words. Show God’s love in your corner of the world.
~Barb Scott
