Jesus Bids Us Shine
by Malcolm Wood
Here in the northern hemisphere, as daylight hours become shorter, I’ve started to think about light, and the importance of it, in its many forms, to various aspects of our lives, and, indeed, to life itself. The sun, placed in the heavens during those early days of creation, has never ceased to give light and energy to all living things on the earth. What a faithful God we have!
Down through the ages, man, with his God-given knowledge and understanding has learnt how to use and develop the science of light, and utilise it to bring even further usefulness to mankind. From the simplest of candles to the most sophisticated pieces of equipment, used in space exploration, medicine, industry, and communications, light plays an ever increasing, significant part in all our daily lives.
Jesus once said, ‘While I am in the world, I am the light of the world’ (John 9:5). At another time, He challenged His followers to shed that light into the world. ‘You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden’ (Matthew 5:14). That challenge has never been retracted, and we, His followers today, also carry that mandate to be light-bearers for Him. It’s not difficult to recognise how spiritually dark the world’s becoming, so it’s becoming important for us to shine even more brightly for the Lord.
Besides showing the way, and exposing what’s in the dark, light is used in other ways to bring comfort, healing, revelation, contact, and security. These are just a few of the many benefits that light can provide, when correctly and responsibly used. We, as Christians, are to allow the light of Jesus to shine in our lives through His Spirit, and rightly appropriate for ourselves the light of truth, as revealed in the Bible. Then we’ll be better equipped to fulfil the mandate the Lord has given us to bring light to the world.
Now that Jesus, the true light, is in heaven, He’s left the awesome responsibility with us, His people, to be His light here on earth. Except for those occasions (which in these days seem to be increasing) when the Lord supernaturally reveals Himself to individuals or groups, we’re the only opportunity that most of those living in darkness will have of seeing the light.
The Lord’s invested a lot in us, and is entrusting us to fulfill our destiny to bring light into a dark world. Let’s not let Him down.
‘But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light’ (1 Peter 2:9).
Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to be so full of You that I’m able to shine with Your light, wherever You place me. Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
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