Good morning…
We can get lost in the lure of artificial lighting. Smile. Fit in. Look good. When the world’s nonstop neon eventually burns us out, we begin to crave an enduring source of light. Haggai 1:5-7 in the New International Version understands our dilemma.
Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.”
An unexpected gift is given when life prunes us back to a dry, dark place. We sense ourselves starting to crave real, authentic light. Light we can’t turn on. Light we can’t manufacture. Light possessing its very own rising-and-setting rhythm.
As we give careful thought to our ways, we wait by moonlight for the sun to rise. We plant seeds each day, patiently awaiting the harvest of God. We eat just enough then we eat again tomorrow. We drink today’s fill, trusting tomorrow’s outpouring. We put on clothes while being warmed from within. We earn money to live and generously empty our pockets instead of shoving our hoarded excess into a bulging purse with holes in it.
As false gods burn us out, we are invited to tolerate emptiness. Grey, uncomfortable, painstaking emptiness. Artificial light can shine bright for a night, but as our awareness wakes up we all secretly crave authenticity. Learning from those who have walked this path before, we remember how God gently leads followers through the world’s wilderness.
The Eternal went on ahead to guide them during the day in a cloud shaped like a pillar; at night He appeared to them in a fire shaped like a pillar to light their way. So they were able to travel by day and by night. The Eternal did not remove the cloud pillar or the fire pillar; by day and by night it continued to go ahead of the people (Exodus 13:21-22, VOICE).
We are fortunate our feet are following the illuminating vision of our living LORD. And all peoples of all the nations will walk by its unfailing light, and the rulers of the earth will stream into the city bringing with them the symbols of their grandeur and power. During the day, its gates will not be closed; the darkness of night will never settle in (Revelation 21:24-25, VOICE).
This day may we walk in the eternal light of the Almighty God who feeds, fills, and guides us by day and by night.
…Sue…
