Back in December 2020 I had tried, without success, to see the ‘Christmas star’ and for those who don’t know what that was, it was the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn coming together and it hadn’t happened for around 800 years. Some people said that this planetary alignment could have been a similar star alignment that the wise men saw leading them to Bethlehem at the Birth of Christ. In disappointment I told my daughter Aubrey that I still hadn’t been able to see the star. So she looks out at the night sky and says “Come on Jesus aren’t you even working on it?”
I stopped and paused for a second and took what she said into consideration.
How often do we feel this way? We think we should be able to see something or accomplish something and it doesn’t work out. Or how about getting back to ‘normal’ after Covid or being able to worship like we used to. We want weddings and celebrations back to normal. We want to be able to hug and visit with our at risk friends and family that we haven’t seen in so long. How often, even if it is just silently in our hearts, do we say ‘Jesus aren’t you even working on it’? In disappointment or frustration we wonder why we are going through the circumstance we are in. We wonder what good can come about with how the world looks right now.
I want to say that while I did not see the star that does not mean that the star was not there. It was there shining brightly every night. It just so happened that this particular alignment stays at the horizon level so you can only see it for a short time before it is out of eyesight. And just because we don’t see Jesus ‘working on it’ don’t be discouraged! Because friend, He is there, He is guiding and he is for sure working. But in the meantime until the day we stand before Him and see Him face He has a role for us to fulfill.
God tells us that we are the light of the world and to let our light shine before men so that they may see our good deeds and glorify the Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 Have you ever seen a google earth image from a nighttime perspective? All the twinkling lights from homes and cities makes it look like stars on earth. Because my mind works in pictures I sometimes wonder if God looks down on his children on earth and sees light coming from us, like twinkling stars shining the light of Christ. I wonder if we look like stars on a clear summer night shining in contrast to this dark world of sin.
Isaiah 9:2 NIV
It is a cool picture if we stopped right there imagining ourselves as fireballs of light amongst the world that doesn’t know Jesus, but what does it mean when He aid we are the light of the world?
The main purpose of a light is to illuminate the dark. It helps us so that we can physically see where we’re going. In a power outage the first thing I search for is a flashlight. A light that is shining has no choice but to spread light around it. There’s a song I used to sing as a child This Little light of mine and it said ‘hide it (light) under a bushel, no! I’m going to let it shine, I’m going to let it shine’.
When Christ became your savior the Holy Spirit was given to you. The light of Christ became present in your life. You now represent Jesus, the old is gone and the new has been born. You actually might be the only reason someone you come in contact with sees the light of Christ in their life and because you are a reflection of Jesus they are also going to be able to see the Father. Jesus said whoever has seen the me has seen the Father (John 14:9).
So with the light of Christ in you, the world around you can be illuminated. Being a light ultimately means to share the love of Christ to others as well as the gospel. But oftentimes those opportunities don’t happen everyday. Instead we need to be a bit more intentional. Masks have even inhibited the joy and light of a smile on our faces. But don’t let that stop you, our eyes can still ‘smile’.
So you might wonder how can I be a light if I don’t get the opportunity to talk to someone. Well here are some practical ways to show the love of Christ and I’m sure you could add to the list. Talk to your neighbors and get to know them. Hold the door open for somebody when they’re walking into a grocery store and as they walk by tell them to have a blessed day or that God loves them. Ask someone you know if they need help with anything-maybe a single older woman or an older man or woman who’s husband or wife passed away and now they live alone. Maybe they need someone to do some things around the house. Maybe there’s someone out there who needs you to pick up groceries for them because they can’t afford Instacart or don’t have a car. Maybe you can donate something to the buy nothing groups on facebook. Maybe someone needs a ride to work. There are many practical needs around us and showing the love of Christ can simply be meeting the basic needs of others who can’t meet needs on their own.
Just like my daughter looked up at the sky and wondered if Jesus was working on her being able to see the star, there are people right now that you personally know wondering why they can’t see the light of God in their lives. They are looking outwards at the sky but can’t seem to see the star that is just over the horizon.
I want you to consider that maybe a starting point for them being able to see the light of Christ is for them to notice the brightness in us that then points them to our Savior. Maybe they will ask what is different about him or her that I don’t have? Why do they have peace? What brings them joy even in the chaos of society?
When Moses came down from the top of the mount Sanai after receiving the ten commandments his face shown with the glory of God. It says,When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, Exodus 34:30a
The people were actually taken back by the radiance and Moses had to put a veil over his face. Anytime we are in the presence of God we should be absorbing his light and reflecting it outwards. And as a Christian we are always in the presence of God as the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. My prayer today is that the light of Christ is going to be evident in your life so that you will shine just like Moses did when he came down from the mountain or like the Christmas star that never left the sky even though I couldn’t see it and like the Google map view of the world…. Shine outwards and illuminate the darkness around you. The light of Christ is for others to see and be encouraged with it and transformed by it. So with unveiled faces I encourage you to Let His Light shine through you.
The Lord bless you and keep you,
Kara
Faith, Hope, Encourage
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