Radiating His Light

Each night it shone, radiating His light into my little corner of the world. Growing up, I would place a little ivory cross under a bright lamp in my room. Later in the darkness, my little cross glowed and signified God’s presence. I remembered that cross’s comfort this week when musing about darkness and light.

While walking with our dog Louie, I turned toward home earlier than usual. The air was damp and darkening with a cold wind signaling impending weather. “Better get home before the storm,” I thought. But as I turned, the sun broke out instantly warming and brightening everything it touched. I slowed down basking in its warmth and smiled as I thought “this is like God’s Light in our lives.” Just when the darkness threatens to envelope us, His Light shines and fills us with His loving warmth.

Radiating His Light

The Light of the World came into darkness and brought a saving love like none other. He exemplified God’s love right up to the moment He gave up His life for ours. Jesus left us a perfect example of how to live and radiate God’s love to everything and everyone. He didn’t simply tell us how to live in the Light. He radiated it from every part of Himself.

Peter, James, & John got to see a glimpse of His radiance visually at the Transfiguration. Moses reflected this Light each time he spoke to God. Just the reflection of God’s Light in Moses’s face was so bright he needed a veil so others could look at him! Stephen, who was noted to be a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, in his final act declaring Jesus as the Messiah, radiated this Light when his face became “as bright as an angel’s”.

My little cross and the warm sun on a cold day may not be as amazing as these Biblical references, but they remind me how time with the Son allows us to radiate His light. Seems like our dark world could use some Light about now.

2020 is quickly becoming an adjective associated with bad things.  If we ever needed some warmth, love, and light, it’s now. Things may get worse before they get better with the coming season being described as a dark winter. But it doesn’t have to be. Yes, political and social unrest, an ongoing pandemic, weird weather, and other small but no less important issues in life threaten darkness. But remember Who is in control and what that means. John reminds us:

The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
⁵ The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it. ~John 1:4-5

So, when we feel the storm winds coming, or feel alone in a dark world, remember Jesus’ Light CANNOT be extinguished.

Let’s not dwell in the darkness but abide in the Light.

Instead of worrying in the dark, let’s be so full of the Holy Spirit like Stephen we reflect His Light. When we abide in Him and His Light, we brightly reflect His love into this dark world.

But how? By sitting under the Light like my little cross.

• Abide in His Word and read our Bibles. Peter reminded us of this in 2 Peter 1:16-19. He calls the words of the prophets like a lamp shining in a dark place and implores us to listen and pay close attention.
• Abide in prayer. We ask God to fill us so full of His Spirit it radiates from us and give us His peace. When we let go our worry and pray instead, we gain His peace which surpasses all understanding. We bask in His warm Light so that even cold, dark storms do not cause fear.
• Abide in faith and trust, not fear and worry. Remember His Light lives in us, so what shall we fear? Live in the faith we’ve been given, trust, know, and abide in His Light.

This abiding in Him not only applies to big but all our moments of life. Recently I was described as remaining very calm in a stressful situation. Not surprising. Last year in a very similar situation, I was a bundle of nerves. This time, I prayed more and worried less. I asked God to help me then placed my faith and trust in Jesus and His peace came. Even though the outcome wasn’t what we hoped and prayed for, one thing was constant-His presence. His Light and peace filled us and I pray radiated from me in those moments.

So, let’s not worry, wonder, or wallow in what has or may happen. Don’t dwell in darkness. Abide in His Light. I want to live in, be present with, and reflect the Light of the World just like my little cross. I pray you’ll join me. Let’s radiate His Light brightening all around us with the warmth of His saving love.