Devotions

Rev Gav

Light

Luke 8:16-18

"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all."

"So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them."

Reflect

Jesus had just told a parable about a farmer sowing seed and explained it to his disciples. Through this parable we learned that we are to have faith, firmly root ourselves, and keep our eyes fixed solely on him, and if we do this, then over time our lives will produce much fruitfulness. In today’s Bible Reading Jesus continued to encourage his listeners by equating himself with light.

Jesus explained that in the fullness of time, nothing will be hidden and everything will be made known, and that it makes no sense to stay in the darkness. The only sensible course of action is to walk into the light in the present, by hearing and responding to God’s message of love. Through walking into the light — by hearing and responding to God’s message — they would see and receive everything that God had for them, and they themselves would reflect his light, however, if they chose not to be open-minded — if they chose not to hear and respond — then they would end up gaining and contributing little or nothing.

As Christians, we want to live in the constant light of Jesus. We also want our lives to reflect his light into the darkness of the world around us — the darkness of people’s lives, relationships, and the environment. We want our unfaithfulness, wickedness, and indifferences exposed and brought into the light so they can be dealt with by the grace and mercy of Jesus. For those of us who seem to constantly step back into the darkness, it will mean that we have to make a daily conscious decision to step back into his light, and we do this through confessing our mistakes and recommitting ourselves to God.

Yet, for some of us, we mistakenly step into the darkness. As I type this, I do so through tears. I kept the fact that I am not 100% heterosexual and not 100% cis-gender a secret for much of my life. Only those closest to me knew, and what kept me from being in the ‘light’ was fear of what others would think of me. It took the ministry of Helen and close friends — i.e. God’s love expressed through them to me — for me to accept my sexuality and gender, and know that I am truly loved and accepted. Church was traditionally not a ‘safe’ place for me, and this is partly why I think God led us to establish FAB Church. The point is that God wanted all of me in the light, and rather than being met with criticism or derision, Jesus welcomed me with open arms.

I guess I am sharing this because God is saying to us, “Do not be ashamed or afraid. Walk in the light now, because in the fulness of time, everything will be made known.”

Today, you have a choice – to step into the light or remain in the darkness. Choose to hear and respond to the message of Jesus.

What does it mean practically, to reflect the light of Jesus into the darkness of people’s lives, relationships and the environment?

Pray

Holy God
I choose to step
back into your light.
Forgive all the darkness
that is within me;
the thoughts,
words and actions
that have hurt you
and have hurt others.
Shine your light into my life.
Expose my innermost thoughts
that there may be
nothing that is left unseen,
and that I may reflect your light
into the darkness
of the world around me.
This day and forever.
Amen.