I’m gonna let it shine!

“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…”  is a kid’s song with a lot of meaning. Really, it is!  God has put a light in each of us and our job is to let it shine brightly. Life conspires to dim that light in a hundred ways, but the gift of God is choice: your way or His way, focus on your pain or His provision.  So what will it be, today?

Jesus, when He talked about the End and the Promise of the Kingdom’s victory, warned that some who started to follow Him would not make the celebration. Their light would go out. Why? “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life.” (Luke 21:34)  The edge of faith can be lost to letting one day slip into another without purpose, to letting wine take away our good sense, or getting taken up with things that really do not matter much in the big picture. And the light goes dark!

So, make a better choice today.  Say, “I’m gonna let it shine!” and take the power of the Spirit that is like soul-fuel for the fire of devotion.  Paul says "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life." (Philippians 2:12-16, NIV)

Beautiful Christians become bright lights over time, not with one grand choice in a single day. "When God is personally present, a living Spirit, … (there is) Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, The Message)  Another translation says, we are ‘changed from glory to glory.’   Christian, there is nothing higher, nothing better than letting His Light shine out from you; in great times and terrible ones, too. 

So, what kind of life will you choose today?  Will you choose to dim the light with complaining and doubt, with hate and fear, letting the day pass with your focus entirely on yourself? OR, will you shine brightly, energized by the Holy Spirit, loving,  full of faith, serving Jesus?    I’m singing - “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…”   and by God’s grace – it will be a glorious day.

The word from the Word - “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!" (Matthew 5:14-16, The Message)

__________

Shine

Shine! Make 'em wonder what you've got,

Make 'em wish that they were not,

On the outside looking bored!

Shine, let it shine before all men,

Let 'em see good works and then,

Let 'em glorify the Lord!

Peter Furler | Steve Taylor

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