People of Light

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” ~John 8:12

Don’t participate in the things these people do.  For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!  For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. ~Ephesians 5:7-9

I am drawn to lighthouses, and because I live in a state with a lot of coastline, I’ve had the opportunity to visit several, without needing to travel far from home.  There are some lighthouses I’ve only been able to view from afar, but there are others I’ve been blessed to see up close.  I have had the joy of climbing the steps inside a variety of lighthouse towers, and have seen some amazing views from the balconies (galleries) near the top of those I have climbed.

Lighthouses have played an important role in history, and many exciting stories can be told about the courage, strength, and endurance of the men and women who served as keepers of the lights.  Hours of hard work and sacrifice were given by faithful keepers in order to keep these beacons of light shining for those who needed their guidance.

There are a number of references to light in the Bible—Jesus as the light of the world, and His followers as lights for those who are seeking the light that Jesus offers.  I think that lighthouses can serve us great reminders of the importance of keeping God’s light shining brightly for those around us.

A lightouse provides a beacon that cuts through the darkness of night, or the chaos of terrible storms.  It shines a light that leads ships away from stormy seas, shallow waters, and dangerous rocks so the captain can find a way to bring the ship safely into port.  God sent Jesus into the world as a light for mankind.  He came to guide us away from the darkness and chaos of the world, and to lead us into the light of God’s great love.

Every lighthouse has it’s own unique signal so that navigators can recognize each light, in order to figure out the ship’s location and discern where it needs to go next.  As followers of Christ, we have been given our own unique way of shining the light of God’s love into the world around us.  We can each become a beacon that leads others into a right relationship with God.  Our individual lights can guide others to the “light of the world”.

Lighthouses stand strong and straight when storms overtake them.  They firmly hold their ground and continue to send their beams of light across the water so that struggling ships don’t lose sight of their guiding light.  With God’s help, we too can stand firm during difficult times, and continue to shine our light into the world for those still living in darkness.

There is a lot of darkness in the world today.  Let’s live as the people of light God created us to be.

Just for fun: You might enjoy listening to the song, My Lighthouse, by Rend Collective.