Shine Through It

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 5:14-16 ESV

After a couple of weekends full of rain showers, overcast skies and the continued threat of showers and thunder storms, the past few days have been Chamber of Commerce days in the Chattanooga area.

Sunny and highs in the mid-70‘s with very few clouds in the sky. Maybe the nicest, most beautiful week of the year thus far. It’s amazing how the sun brings smiles back to people’s faces.

As I soaked in the beauty of the days, my mind began thinking of how the sunny days have represented how we as Believers and Followers of Jesus Christ should shine for Him. And how those cloudy, overcast days represent how all too often we live and act and respond.

Just like the clouds roll in and cover the sun, the clouds of life and day to day living roll in and get in between us and the Son, keeping us from “feeling” the Son shine... keeping us from shining and reflecting His light on the dark world around us.

Yet, when we remove the junk... when the wind blows the clouds away, we are able to see the Son and we find it far easier to shine and reflect His light and His love on the world around us.

We’ve got to learn to shine, even when the clouds have rolled in... even when there is a threat of rain and storms… even when the wind blows and the lightning strikes… even when the flood waters rise

It’s easy to shine on the near perfect days. We’ve got to learn to shine on those less than perfect days.

We’ve got to learn to shine even when we don’t feel like it.

Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper, 
rise from the dead, 
and Christ will shine on you.”” 
- Ephesians 5:8-14 NIV