An Ordinary House

                                                            

It was an ordinary house.  It could use a fresh coat of paint. Not the worst house on the block but not the best either. A house that might never be noticed.

 In the early morning darkness, I walked through my gated community. As I turned a corner, the darkness was illuminated by sparkling white lights. The beauty was coming from a single strand of Christmas lights strewn on the roof of the ordinary house. This was no elaborate Christmas display like the ones featured on the local news. It was merely a simple strand of lights on a very dark street.

Philippians 2:15 describes Christians as living in a dark world “among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

Like the old house, our lives may be ordinary.  We may be battered and bruised and in need of repair. Jesus is asking us to come to Him as we are, with all our flaws and weaknesses. He invites us to sit at His feet and enjoy His Presence.

As we arise and go out into the world, Jesus goes with us. His desire is to shine through us.  Even the smallest glimmer of light shines brightly in a dark world. 

Lord, today may Your Light shine on me and may Your Light shine through me.

A Father’s Love

                                                                

“The best day of my life was when I adopted you from the orphanage.” The little girl ran over and hugged her father as they stood before the Christmas tree.  The Hallmark Christmas movie captured the look of pure love on the faces of both the father and the daughter.

As the movie progressed, the father did everything he could to make the Christmas season special to the little girl. He helped her make a gingerbread house, took her to the town’s tree lighting celebration, and showered her with the perfect gifts on Christmas morning. The little girl knew without a shadow of a doubt that her father loved her deeply. 

The love that our Heavenly Father has for His children far surpasses the love of the father in the Hallmark movie. The greatest expression of His love took place in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago when He sent His son to be born in a manger.

Galatians 4:4-5 states: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent His son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

 Jesus came to earth in order to take the punishment for our sins. When the penalty was paid, we were forgiven, and the Father adopted us as sons and daughters.

Those of us who have put our faith in Christ are both forgiven and adopted. The love that our Father has for us is exponentially greater that the love of the Hallmark father for the former orphan girl.  

I pray that God would open my eyes to see the depth of His love for me. I pray that He would make me aware of the good gifts He showers on me each day. May I know that He is gazing at me with eyes of pure love. As I catch a glimpse of this all surpassing love, may I have a grateful heart that loves Him in return.

Darkness Turns to Light

 

As I sat in my recliner, the darkness was so intense that I literally could not see my hand in front of my face. My routine was to get up at 5 a.m. and to enjoy a cup of coffee before I showered and began the day.  Suddenly, the electricity in the community went out. Not only did my living room lights go out, but also the outside street lights, and the little lights showing the time on the tv, microwave, and stove. There was not even a hint of light anywhere.  Just pure darkness.

As a good Floridian, I always have a supply of flashlights ready for hurricane season, but not one of them was within reach of my recliner.  I did not feel safe taking even one step away from my chair.  My plan was to remain in my recliner for the next hour or so until the sun rose. As it turned out, within 5 minutes the power was restored.  I got up and began my day.

My brief encounter with total darkness had two results. I promptly moved one of my many flashlights to the table next to the recliner. And from that day forward, I gleaned new meaning from Biblical references to darkness and light.

In John 8:12 Jesus says: “I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

As I write this, I am retired and no longer have to get ready for work each day. However, I continue to rise at 5 a.m. and still enjoy my morning coffee in my comfortable chair.  Now, my routine is to walk in my gated community at 6 a.m.  I get to enjoy the end of night and the beginning of morning.

Every so often during my walk I will turn a corner and see a brilliant full moon in the western sky. I am not scientific and have never looked at the lunar calendar. For that reason, the full moon always comes as a complete surprise. I am struck anew at the beauty and wonder of God’s creation.

As I walked today, the moon was full and magnificent. The sky was cloudy. At times it looked as though the moon had disappeared. That was not true.  Even though I could not see it, the moon was always there.

Sometimes our lives appear dark. Our minds believe the lie that things will never get better, and that life is hopeless. We feel that God is far away. That is a lie.  God is always with us. 

Two thousand years ago God sent His Son into the world.  The Light of the World walked among us.  He promised that those who followed Him would not walk in darkness but would have the light of life. He came to bring us hope.

Cry out to Jesus.   He does not want us to walk in darkness.  His greatest desire is that we walk in His light. All we have to do is ask Him.