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Matthew 5:14 (NLT) “You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”
John 12:46 (NLT) “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.”
John 12:36 (NLT) “Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.”
An old high school classmate ran into one of my sisters during the summer. While they were catching up on ‘who was doing what and have you seen so-and-so’, he shared that he had kept one of my old high school pictures from back in the day. He was surprised he still had the picture, and told my sister that it reminded him of the sweetness in my spirit. He said it was no surprise to him that I still loved the Lord and had remained faithful to Him.
When I heard this, I instantly became nostalgic. Back then, I was a ‘nervous nelly’ and would bite my nails at the thought of doing anything that would get me in trouble. I never wanted to do anything to disappoint my parents, or worse, disappoint God. I had been taught that He watches and sees all. Although I had a lot of nervousness and fear in school, the more I found out about God through His Word, the more I wanted to know about pleasing Him.
I now know that I was so nervous all the time because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I didn’t want to fail, but I was always afraid that I would. One day, I read the words of Jesus Christ in John 12:46 (NLT), and it truly changed my life. In this verse, our Blessed Lord said, “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.” My nervousness kept me on edge, but Jesus changed all that. I could put my trust in him and know that I would be okay. I would not be a failure. Instead, I would be a light!
Even as a teenager, the light of Christ shinned through my nervousness and left an imprint on the consciousness of my classmate; all these years later. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:14 (NLT), “You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” I wasn’t perfect back then, and I am not perfect now. Like all of us that love the Lord, I am being perfected day by day, and even in my imperfection, I can shine with the love of Christ in my heart. It’s not about me, it is about him and the work he does through us by the Spirit that indwells us.
Jesus said in John 12:36 (NLT), “Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” We should shine bright all the time, and we do this by trusting in Jesus ! We should light up any room by illuminating it with the sheer love of God that we have in our hearts. This is a very dark and evil world we live in, and God wants as many people saved as can be. We are the conduits! We are the ones to light the way for them to come to know Jesus Christ in the pardon of their sins. Those that are not acquainted with him can choose to want to know him based on what they see in YOU! You can be the deciding factor that draws the unbeliever in. So don’t hide your light, let it shine while there’s still time. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Continue to Light the Way” written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2016. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.
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