Let It Shine

Luke 8:16-18 NIV: “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”

The topic here is light. Jesus told us that He is the light of the world. He was telling us that He is the source of enlightenment, or wisdom and understanding. He passes this enlightenment to us then gives us the assignment to pass it on. He told his disciples, “you are the light of the world, so let your light shine before men so they will praise your Father in Heaven”.

If I get up in the night to find my way to the bathroom, I flip on a light switch. I do not want my bare foot to step on a wandering spider or any other critter that might be sneaking around in the night. When the light comes on nothing is hidden, all is brought out into the open. I safely come and go. (No pun intended).

Jesus wants us enlightened for several reasons. There are things we don’t need to be stepping on the darkness, things that could harm us. His enlightenment provides safety, a light to our path. Also, our enlightenment leads others to His light.

Jesus adds one more interesting thing about this light that He gives. It multiplies. When He is the source of the enlightenment it grows and grows. And he cautions those who find a source of light somewhere else, it will be extinguished.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine let it shine let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, NO! I’m gonna let it shine.

A Miracle Within

This week I planted some seeds in little pots thinking ahead to spring and garden time. These are seeds that I got from a place that sells only heirloom seeds, that is, seeds that will continue to reproduce from season to season.

I think that we may have lost the wonder of the miracle of seeds since we have become a society that gets our food supply from the store instead of the garden. To add to the erosion of wonder the seeds within the food we buy won’t produce a crop, and many of the seeds out there will produce one crop only. There are now patents on seeds. Heirloom seeds are not like that. They have not been “altered” to not reproduce.

When you stop to think about it seeds, “real” seeds are filled with mystery and a miracle. God being the creator of seeds has placed something inside them that carries a message for us, a message of love. In my mind’s imagination I can hear a long ago conversation.

Jesus: “I have an idea, Father.”

God: “What is this idea Son?”

Jesus: “Well, let’s do the plants this way, I mean, I know it is pretty easy to speak forth the plants, as we will do to start out, but considering, and knowing all about the people that are to be, let’s give them an added reminder about us, a reminder about eternity. It is so important for them to understand that eternity is real, and to prepare for eternity. I want them to be with me Father.

God: “I like your idea Son. Put within the seeds eternity, the ability to reproduce after their kind forever.

Jesus: “Done.” (Genesis, chapter 1 Day 3 of creation.)

I don’t know if God the Father and God the Son ever had such a conversation or not. I know from John Chapter 1 that Jesus was there because it says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

As I planted those seeds, I planted them with the intention of harvesting some seeds when the plants are mature so that I will have seeds to plant again. I am moved by the miracle in those tiny seeds. I am reminded of the miracle within me, a soul. My pastor says, “You are not a body with a soul, you are a soul with a body. I do see eternity in the seeds, and it does cause me to ponder my own eternity beyond the use of this earthly body. I want to spend eternity with my creator, the one who though He could have spoken new plants every season, chose to put within them a picture for me that would help me grasp how great is my Lord.

Untouchable

I find interesting the story in Luke chapter 5 that tells of a man who was covered with leprosy. This man came to Jesus begging “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”.

Jesus healed many. Sometimes He simply spoke and healing came, as in the case of the Centurion’s servant. Sometimes He gave the person instructions to be followed as in the case of a man blind from birth. Jesus spit in the dirt, placed the mud on the man’s eyes and told him “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam.” The man did as he was told and was healed. Healing came to a woman who simply touched the hem of His garment.

My point is this, Jesus did not have to touch the man with leprosy, but He did. How very much that touch must have contained. Beyond the healing it said, “You have value, you are acceptable, you are touchable.” It had probably been a while since that man had felt a human touch. Persons with leprosy were looked upon as “dead” and not allowed to be among the people. If they were somehow healed, they went through a ceremonial purification process that allowed them back into fellowship among the living.

Jesus told this man, “Don’t tell anyone, but go show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

Jesus does not shy away from coming into the unpleasant putrid parts of our lives to bring cleansing and healing. He left the pure holiness of Heaven to have the filthy sin of all mankind placed upon His purity. He traded our sin for His righteousness.

When I read this account of His willingness to reach out and touch the leper, I know His touch is available to me. It is available to all.

What Was She Thinking?

Recently I read a portion of scripture giving the account of a horrible case of child abuse. It made me ask myself, “What was she thinking”?

We are told of a woman, a wife and a mother, who, while caught up in deep sin made a decision regarding her daughter that is unthinkable to me. We are not told how old the daughter is, maybe 6, maybe 12, maybe 16, but young enough to still be in her mother’s care.

This “mother of the year” was having an adulterous relationship with the powerful leader Herod. This man was her husband’s brother or her brother in law. In this recorded piece of history, John the Baptist confronted the sinfulness of their relationship and this woman was not happy about it. Instead of cleansing her heart of the sin, and aligning her life to God’s plan, she wanted to get rid of the convicting voice. She wanted to have him killed, but Herod knew that John was a just and holy man and he protected him.

This opportunistic mother was soon given her chance. Herod had a big birthday celebration and her lovely daughter danced for Herod. She must have been quite talented for it pleased Herod to the point that he offered her a gift of her choice for the performance. Prompted by good ole mom, this child requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod could not go back on his word in front of everyone, so it was done. I can’t help but wonder what the heart of that child would have asked for.

This child carried the bloody decapitated head of John the Baptist, an innocent man, to her mother. Her clothes and slippers and hands and arms probably were covered with the gore of the brutal execution. What nightmares did she suffer for the rest of her life? The request that had come from her mouth had killed a man, a good man, a man believed to be a prophet of God. What kind of guilt did that girl suffer from the mother’s direction?

It is not an uncommon thing for a person to want to quiet convicting voices instead of making changes. Mothers (and fathers) may shun church or godly voices to keep from hearing convicting messages. In doing so, sons and daughters are also kept away. They are given the example of shunning truth.

If God sends a message about something He declares out of bounds for us, it is out of His love that He sends it. There are places where He can send His blessings and there are places that He cannot send His blessings. Open our ears, Lord, help us to listen.

REFLECTIONS FROM THE PROVERBS: The Pleasant Way

The Pleasant Way

Proverbs Chapter Three:
Verse 17: Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.

Wisdom is remarkable. We know Christ to be this wisdom and He is remarkable. Jesus tells us "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He is the way. He is the path.

Psalms Chapter One: 1.Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
2.But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3.He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
4.Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5.Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6.For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

There are several contrasts given in this Psalm. A pleasant way, and a not so pleasant way. A way of the righteous which is compared to a tree planted by water, and a way of the wicked which is compared to chaff that is blown away. God is not talking about plants here he is talking about people.

There used to be a different way for people to come to God. It was a way of laws and priests and sacrifices and a place called the holy of holies. When Christ died on the cross, the curtain that blocked access to that most holy place where God met with man, was torn open inviting men to come commune with God. Jesus is the way.

The writer of Hebrews says in chapter 10 verse 19: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,

Those who come to God by way of Christ are still like the picture in Psalms. Like trees planted by water, growing and prosperous. Those without Christ are like chaff blowing around in the wind. Relationship with God through Christ is pleasant above all thing.

Reflections From the Proverbs: A Pretty Good Offer

A pretty good offer

Proverbs Chapter Three:
16. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
Speaking of wisdom, this verse says long life is in her right hand and riches and honor are in her left hand. Two very good reasons to find wisdom.
Eve went on a search for wisdom in Genesis 3:6 it says: When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. NIV

This wisdom she went after certainly didn’t bring long life. In fact it brought death. God did an interesting thing after Adam and Eve became diseased with sin. In verse 23 it tells us : So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

It would have been a disastrous thing to have bodies that would age and decay and become diseased and suffer and go on that way for all eternity. Something would have to happen before man could eat from the tree of life. The disease of sin would have to be cleansed away.

In the book of Revelation Chapter 22 verse 14 we find the words of Jesus: Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

It amazes me that something mentioned in the first words in Genesis are brought full circle in the last words in the book of Revelation.

Jesus Christ, the messiah, the redeemer, is the one who takes us from the deadness that our sin produces to the tree of life. We will be holy because all sin is gone. Eternal life will not be perpetual decay but perpetual worship.

The other promise given in our verse is that from the left hand of wisdom is riches and honor. Talk about riches and honor, it doesn’t get any better than this. Adoption by the King of kings. Even before Eve foolishly disobeyed , God had a plan to bring us back. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4 says: For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. It was always meant to be our destiny to be children of God. We have a very wealthy Daddy.

Eve had a choice, we have a choice. We have a choice to accept the gift offered to us. Jesus is wisdom. Jesus the Messiah, the redeemer,paid for our redemption when he died on the cross. Will you be included? He says: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Jesus is the path to wisdom, the path to life, and the path to riches and honor.

Dear Father, I am amazed that your desire was so strong to make me your child, I recognize that it cost you a lot for my redemption. I am grateful that you have made this offer. I want to be your child.

Refections From The Proverbs: More Precious

More Precious

Proverbs chapter 3:
13. Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,
14. For she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
15. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
There is a beautiful praise song written by Lynn DeShazo that undoubedly is taken from these verses. The song identifies Jesus Christ as the wisdom that is
more precious than silver, more costly than gold, and more beautiful than diamonds. It identifies Jesus Christ as being of such high value that nothing can compare.

It is evident that the author understands the truth that when someone finds Christ they find wisdom. When someone finds Christ, they find understanding. Lynn DeShazo understands clearly that the wisdom of the old Testament is the Christ of the New Testament.

Wisdom is given a mysterious personality in this book of scripture. It infers that if you find her you will find great treasure more valuable than gold, silver or rubies. Nothing can be compared to the value. It is a treasure hunt that God wants you to be successful at.

Nearly all the world has heard stories about the life of Jesus the Christ. Does that mean they have found wisdom? Does knowing about Jesus mean that you have found wisdom? No. This treasure hunt is not an intellectual search, it is a heart search. Deuteronomy 4:29 says: But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. NIV
One of my favorite passages says:" For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13.NIV

This wisdom hunt isn’t about figuring something out. This is about loving the God who created you, and loving the Christ who redeemed you.

The God of the Old Testament is the same God today. He is still found by searching with your heart. When God sent his son, Jesus, he was sending hope and a future to mankind. Through Christ we can call upon the God of Heaven, we can pray, He will listen. This treasure hunt of the heart takes us to a cross, then to our knees, then to the very heart of God where we find a great treasure of wisdom and understanding.

Dear Lord, you are more precious than silver or gold. Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds, pearls or rubies, and nothing I could ever desire compares with you. You are wisdom. You are the wisdom I want.