With the Christmas celebrations gone, it’s funny how quickly the decorative lights get taken down and everywhere looses its sparkle, glow and touch of excitement. In the winter months abroad, there is such a stark contrast as the daylight is much shorter and the darkness is much longer. When the Christmas decorations go, everywhere seems to look depressed without those bright lights.
Light has many functions. Some of the obvious functions include power and photosynthesis. However, light so often simply shows us the way, illuminating the road ahead. When the light is on we can see our path and we don’t stumble over things. Wandering around in the dark can be scary and frustrating. Remember how sad or frustrated people are when the Nigerian Electric and Power Authority (NEPA) takes light and the utter joy after it is brought back. Such should be the joy, when you and I show up, because we are light! Psalm 119:105 declares that Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. In other words, I should learn and carry God’s Word, so that when I show up, I can instruct people and help them gain a sense of direction in their lives. They should be excited because they can see clearly, understand and come alive in their walk, with the Lord.
Because of the function that a light source provides, it should never be hidden. People normally put their light source in an elevated place because it has a purpose to perform which is, illuminating a room. In John 1:5-9, John announces that Jesus has come into the world as the true Light. In Him is Life, and this Life is the Light of men. He came to reconcile God’s children back to Him. Isaiah 49:6 had declared much earlier that Jesus would come and be the light to both the Jews and the Gentiles. Hope for all people. Jesus was described as the genuine, perfect Light that illuminates every person. In other words, Jesus’ perfect light is the source of the light that shines forth through you and I. This means that we ought to look at the impact that Jesus’ Light had, to understand how impactful our light ought to be. It’s nice to note here, the confusion that comes upon darkness when Jesus, the Light, shows up. The darkness can’t overpower, absorb, or appropriate it. The same should be true for us.
Jesus, also announced to the crowds that He was the Light of the world. (John 8:12). He said that if we (you and I) follow Him, we would not walk in darkness, but would have the Light which is Life. Similarly in Mathew 5:14-16, Jesus declared that we are the light of the world. He went on to say that if we allowed our light to shine, such that men see our moral excellence, and our praise-worthy, noble and good deeds, then our Father in heaven would get His glory. So if you are not letting your light shine brightly, God is deprived of His glory!
So what are those things in our lives that affect the brightness of our light or cause it not to shine, preventing God from getting His glory?
Isaiah 60:1 demands that we arise from the place where challenges of past years may have kept us. He calls us to arise and shine. He asks us to be radiant with the glory of the Lord, for the Light has come. He doesn’t ignore the fact that there is dense darkness all around, but declares that the Lord’s light illuminates us and shall rise within us. His glory shall be see on us.
Are we well positioned, or are there areas in our lives that need to be brought into God’s marvellous light ?
If we are in a place of great darkness, why is our light not shining to confound the darkness?
It is often said that we don’t have a darkness problem, what we have is a ‘lack of light’ problem. Those who have the light of Christ in them ought to allow it shine brightly to overcome the darkness.
You could consider beginning this new year, 2019 by asking the Holy Spirit to bring a prayer partner alongside you. You can both come into agreement and pray making declarations to change things. Don’t procrastinate any longer. You are there to bring the radiance, power, love and glory of Jesus. Speak to the Holy Spirit to show you the adjustments you need to make in your life. Don’t allow the enemy hold you down in the same circumstances. Arise and seriously seek after Jesus to give Him the primary position in your life. He will cause everything else to align. Let your new year’s resolution be to enable Jesus’s light shine brighter through you than ever before, so that God’s glory is seen through you.
Mina Bajomo
