Living It Up!

“Light separate from darkness” – I’ve been thinking about this for awhile.  How can light be separated from darkness?  I certainly do not understand “how” God did it – but because I see the results of light and dark being separated, day and night “flowing” one into the other, I know He did.  He said in Genesis 1:2 that the darkness was spread across the surface of the deep.  Genesis 1:4-5 says

“… He separated the light from the darkness…  And there was evening and there was morning – the first day.”  

Then in verses 17-18, God says He placed lights in the sky to “govern” the day and night. 

“Govern” – that’s an interesting concept.  According to one of my dictionaries, one meaning is to “rule by right of authority.”  God gave the “lights” the authority to rule the darkness. 

Then, when I consider “darkness” – the deep, black, thick, almost as if you could touch it – darkness , I think about how dark sin is in comparison to brightness of goodness and right.  God said we – when we are separated from an understanding and knowledge of Him – are “darkness” – Ephesians 5:8.    

So when the “Light” of God – His Son – is “with us” we have the Light.  Let’s look at John 12:35-36.

Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer.  Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you.  The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.  Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light…”

Jesus was telling the crowd – and us – that He would only be the shining Light on earth for a little while longer.  John 12:46-50 says it this way:

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.  As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him.  For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.  There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.  For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.  I know that His command leads to eternal life.  So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.

Therefore, as light is separated from darkness, goodness is distinct from evil.  The life lived for Christ and in Christ will be lived in the light of His love. 

“If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son purifies us from all sin”  1 John 1:7. 

Let us Live a Life of Love.

“This Little Light of Mine” – just a kid’s song, Right? – Wrong!!  Or at least to me it is “wrong.”  I’d like to tell you a story about this little song. 

Several years ago in our town, as a congregation of God’ people, we began to meet in a new facility.  Just prior to the Sunday night worship meetings, the “pew packers” (the young children) met for a short class at the front of the auditorium.  This particular Sunday evening, James, the man who was teaching the “pew packers”, told the children about letting their lights shine to the whole world.  He read the Bible passage in Matthew 5:14 – 16 which states:

“You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” 

Then, to illustrate the lesson, James taught the children to sing the song we learned as children, “This Little Light of Mine.”  All of the children sang and followed along as the teacher performed hand motions to illustrate the words of the song.  As they sang, they all pointed an index finger to symbolize lights ready to shine in the world.  A few people sitting in the auditorium awaiting the time for the evening worship began to sing along with the children and hold their “lights” up just like the children.  Before many bars of music had been sung, many more people joined in until nearly the entire audience was singing and performing the hand motions to “This Little Light of Mine”. 

Remember the stanzas – we sang ”Hide it under a bushel, NO!” and “Never let the devil blow (or put) it out.”  The adults and the children were all singing and protecting their lights from being “hidden” or “put out”.  And then one of the most powerful of all the stanzas, “Shine all over Abilene, I’m ‘gonna’ let it shine” was repeated as we completed the last stanza of the song. 

Now, each time “pew packers” meets, the class session ends with the children – and all of the people attending the Sunday evening worship – sing “This Little Light of Mine.”  It is interesting to look around the auditorium and see the elderly, the middle-aged, and the young, the healthy and the infirm, the men and the women, the teenagers and the young parents, all of us singing – all of us committing to carry out the commands to let our lights shine in our city so the world can see the reflection of God’s light in our lives and bring praise to God our Father. 

Do you still think this is only a “children’s song” or can we sing it and really make a commitment to God to let “His Light” shine through us?   Recently I heard this statement made: “The light with which we shine is a reflection of Jesus Christ and the radiance which shines from us is a result of our having the love of Jesus in our hearts”(Chris McCurley.)  According to Colossians 1:15, Jesus Christ “is the image of the invisible God.”  And Hebrews 1:3 tells us He is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.” 

What do you think?  How can we reflect the light of Jesus to the whole world and bring glory and praise to our God in Heaven? What ideas do you have for us to radiate the brilliance of God as we Live a Life of Love?  I look forward to your comments.

When I was a kid (a long time ago), I used to love to play “Hide and Seek.” A bunch of the neighborhood kids could get out in the yards in the summertime and play until “Mom” or “Dad” called us in for supper.  Their instructions to us were “stay close enough you can hear me call and you better be in for supper within ten minutes.”  Oh, I know we can’t let our kids have that kind of freedom these days.  And that is so sad!!  But listening to our parents instructions placed responsibility on us and taught us discipline. We had to “listen” for the call – even when we were in the middle of an exciting game.  We learned when our parents gave us rules, we had better pay attention for there would be consequences if we didn’t.  We didn’t think that was being “too strict” or “mean” – we knew they loved us, wanted to take care of us, and were concerned for our safety.

You know, God gives us instructions too.  He loves us, wants to take care of us, and is concerned for our eternal safety.  And He wants us to obey the rules He has set out for us.

What if I don’t know what it is God wants me to do?  What if I don’t know where to go to find the answers?  What if I have never really paid attention to what He said or listened to His word?  Does that give me “a pass” to ignore His word?

There is a really important passage in the Old Testament that says

“The Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you” (1 Chronicles 28:9).

Then in the New Testament in the “Parable of the Soils” (a parable is a story with a lesson) we are told

“The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop” (Luke 8:15).

Let me ask you – do you really listen to what God wants you to do?  Do you believe He has a right to expect you to follow Him?  I’d like to hear what your thoughts are to see if we are on the same wave-length.   Are you a person who is willing to hear what God says as you seek Him and learn to Live a Life of Love?

(If you need assistance in knowing how to respond to this “blog”, please contact me – Edie Connel at edie@wbschool.org.  I look forward to hearing from you.)

Ring tones, excerpts from favorite songs, animal sounds, or just “noises” are being used by owners of cell phones to identify the caller.  Someone wants to talk to us and before we hear the voice, we likely know who will be on the other end when we say “hello.”  We may have an “identifier” for mom, for dad, for spouse, for boss – and even one when the caller is a stranger.  We spend lots of time “downloading” those ring tones and specifying which one best “suits” the caller.

And how we look forward to a call from a very special caller!!  We will listen closely for that particular ring tone for we have chosen a sound that we won’t confuse with any other sounds.

Wonder what kind of sound we would use if we were setting up a “ring tone” for a call from our Heavenly Father. Of course, we know His call will not come in the way of a musical note or phrase, or in a small, quiet voice from somewhere in outer space.  His call will come from the truth of the scriptures.

How will we “identify” the One who is calling us?  We can know who the caller is because we read and study the scripture.  We test the message and we answer the call when we know it is for us.  John 10: 3-4 gives the example of the sheep knowing the voice of the Shepherd.  Then John 10:27 says “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.”

We will know the identity of the caller and we will strive to live a life “… worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory” (1Thessalonians 2:12.) We will learn to Live a Life of Love.

 This past weekend one of our sons and his family were here to attend the funeral service of one of the uncles of our daughter-in-law.  Also, our daughter was visiting and another of our sons who lives nearby came to visit. Then our daughter-in-law’s parents, three of her sisters and their spouses, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandmother – well, you get the picture. We had lots of “family” in and out of the house for the weekend. It was wonderful to see everyone and to see the love and attention each gave when another member of the family arrived. The connections, the love, the sharing, the rejoicing – even in the midst of the sorrow!  A crowded house, yes – but such fun!

This same weekend – while everyone was here, we celebrated the birthday of our grandson – balloons, birthday cake with candles, presents, party and all. A very busy time but a satisfying weariness when all of the family had come and gone.

Later, as I was straightening the house and putting away the leftovers, I couldn’t help but think about how blessed we are to be a part of a large and happy family. From the beginning when God created Adam and Eve and gave them the responsibility to begin to “people the earth”, He knew “family” was important. When He designed the Christian family – the church – for us to be a part of – God knew we would need each other.  

Indeed, our Father gives us every spiritual blessing “in Christ.”.  We have so much for which to thank Him!  

“Praise be to the God and Father of Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ!” (Ephesians 1:3).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!!  In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1Peter 1:8).

God has adopted us as His children – we are a part of His family!!  With family, we share the blessings of Christ; we share the struggles of living right lives, of living the Life of Love. 

Yesterday as I was standing on our screened patio, I glanced up and saw a beautiful red bird flying toward one of the bird-feeders we have in our backyard.  With the coming of Spring, we had just filled the feeders.  The bird ate its fill and then flew off to sit on one of the branches in the tree.  I don’t know how birds find bird-feeders.  Maybe the bird-feeder standing in the middle of the yard is sort of a “promise” to the birds that they can find nourishment if they come to the feeder.

Seeing the red bird feeding at the feeder reminded me of the promise that the season changes come every year – just as God set them in order during creation.  Remember in Genesis 1:14 when God created the lights (sun, moon, and stars) - “And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years.’” (NIV)   God still has us in mind as He keeps on marking time and keeping His promises with the changing of the Seasons.

Should it surprise us that even after all of this time, He still loves us?   He has fulfilled His promise and has given us a plan for living our lives in accordance to His will!!  And, when we go to the “feeder” – His word, the Bible,  we will still find the nourishment we need for living a Life of Love.