God is our everlasting light, his glory has risen upon us,
and our days of mourning will be ended.
Darkness will pass away and his true light will shine brightly. His believers are the light of the
world. Those that walk in the light will
not stumble, because everything becomes visible. An English poet, literary
critic, and philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) wrote, “The love of a mother is the veil of a
softer light between the heart and the heavenly Father.” What a way to regard our mothers as we think
about the gifts of our Heavenly Father!
Our Faith Walk
Many Christians tend to seek company in their faith
walk. Ideally we should have Jesus
Christ as our first companion. But when
it comes to earthly beings friends will do.
Helen Keller (1880–1968),
an author, political activist, and lecturer said, “Walking with a friend in the
dark is better than walking alone in the light.” Darkness often means despondency. Friends in the dark may be our desire to help
those in need. We show them the way of
joy, peace, and love. In these cases our
friendships will be superb. Yes, we
could say like Aristotle Onassis (1906–1975),
a Greek shipping magnate: “It is during the darkest moments we must focus to
see the light.” By seeing God’s glory in
heavenly places is a gift of supreme light.
A Baptist minister, humanitarian, and leader of the African American
Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968) said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness,
only light can do that. Hate cannot
drive out hate, only love can do that.”
Our Heavenly Father’s love is incredible, blessing, cleansing, and
elevating us.
Light Up Lives
Light is an extraordinary motif. In the Gospels Jesus Christ is referred to as
the light of the world. He drives away
not only shadows, but the darkness that threatens to envelop us. Demi Lovato (b. 1992), a singer, songwriter,
and actress wrote, “No matter what you are going through, there’s a light at
the end of the tunnel and it may be hard to get to it, but you can do it and
just keep working towards it and you will find a positive side of things.” Her motto is: “Don’t let disappointments get
you down.” Put up with your experiences
and see where they lead. Not all are necessarily
bad, but whatever they are these things may be for our own good. As Jesus Christ and the apostles taught that trials
and tribulations are nothing more than tests.
They are meant to build up our character. So when the storms of life are battering us
down we’ll not fail, and be washed away into a sea of hopelessness. But we must be like good seeds planted in
fertile ground which when they spring up, blossom, and are able to withstand
the strong winds of change.
God’s Gifts
Our lives must reflect the gifts God has prepared for
us. Some people capture this beauty in
their demeanor. A motivational speaker,
writer, and consultant Denis Waitley (b. 1933) said, “A smile is the light of
your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person
inside.” Try embracing who and what you are. Being baptized Christians we’re
called to undertake our priestly duties on earth. So we must spread joy with smiles and
laughter. These expressions tell others: “I’m a saved, alive, and enjoying life, even though I’m passing through the
valley, and shadow of death.” Such an
approach to life has made Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962), a politician, diplomat, and first lady of the United States remarkable in recognizing, “It is better to light a candle than curse the
darkness.” The gift of light dispels
darkness. Christ as the light in our
lives brings peace, happiness, and fulfillment to our souls.
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