Turning On The Lights!

… so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life … Philippians 2:15-16a NAS

There is no doubt that our world can be a very dark place. War, famine, ethnic cleansing, racism, poverty, human trafficking — the list is endless, and often overwhelming. Darkness has indeed covered the earth, and gross darkness the peoples, even as prophet Isaiah foretold.

BUT, Isaiah goes on to promise LIGHT… God’s people rising up out of darkness … and into His glorious light. For, indeed, this is the will and plan of God for all mankind, NOT to be overcome by darkness, but to overcome evil with good.

Jesus said, “You are the Light of the world…men shall see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.” So, we see that when we DO good works, motivated out of the love of God, these works themselves become worship and glory to God, shining light into darkness, showing the way for others to follow.

When I contemplate what I have seen over the past years, I marvel at how much light is being brought to places where there was little or none before. When I look and see the changed lives in the people who are being established and rooted firmly in Christ — not just listening to us ABOUT Jesus, but having their own relationship WITH Him — so much so, that they pray for ME, they hug ME, they love and comfort ME. These widows and orphans no longer feel like widows and orphans, because they now have a Father who knows them, loves them and cares for them. Jesus is their center. Not us.

I pray that the LIGHT of His love shines brightly into all of our lives this year. Shine, Jesus, shine!

~ Debbie Ecker