Good morning…
“Loving your offerings!” wrote an old friend after yesterday’s post Our Little Oil Lamp. “We are in Jerusalem and heading to the Old Jerusalem shortly. I have seen replicas of these little oil lamps and it makes me smile to read your morning sharing!”
Soon after came the voice of another friend over the phone. “The darkness of the world is so strong right now,” she said from states away. “Newspaper. Television. The political tension. Mid-term elections. Negative adds on both sides of the aisle. The war in Ukraine. Senseless violence. Being attacked in the safety of one’s home.”
The darkness of the world is so strong right now.
Then later I sat across from a friend whose family faces a life-shattering situation. Fear. Uncertainty. Powerlessness. Who knows what will happen next, and when? I pulled out the little oil lamp pictured above, and we talked about this palm sized source of light. Predating the flashlight, this simple source, available day and night, offers just enough light to illuminate a narrow path through the impending darkness.
Remember Jesus’ words? I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness (John 12:46, AMP). As we keep one end of our wick submerged in the oil of God’s indwelling Spirit and we allow the other end of our wick to extend light into the pain of this darkened world, we will find our way forward, small step by small step. In our hands we hold our little lit lamp as we are held in the hands of our large loving God. Light dispels the darkness. Darkness is transformed.
As we submerge ourselves in the Spirit and extend ourselves into the dark world, others will be drawn like a moth to the flame of God’s presence burning brightly in us. There it was—the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone (John 1:9, AMP).
Now in these dark quiet hours, I return to a fun version of an old familiar song sent yesterday by a woman I have yet to meet face to face.
…Sue…
