I have a light in my front yard.
It’s meant to look like an old gas lamp—
a flickering bulb, a quiet flame.
It turns on when the sun goes down,
but truthfully, it’s barely visible.
Even on the darkest nights,
it doesn’t shine the way it should.
I keep thinking:
Is that flicker enough?
It’s weak. Embarrassing.
Maybe I need to change that bulb—
make it a light that can actually be a light.
And then I hear Jesus say,
“No one lights a lamp and hides it.”
And I wonder—how often do I hide the light He’s placed in me?
How often do I dim grace,
stay silent when love could speak,
hold back when mercy could move?
The light of Christ is not for hiding.
It’s meant for lampstands.
For living rooms and lunch breaks.
For hospital visits and grocery lines.
For moments when someone needs to know
that God is still near.
Jesus tells us:
What is hidden will be revealed.
What is whispered in the heart
will one day echo in the world.
So take care how you hear.
Take care how you live.
Because the light you carry—
even if it flickers—
is holy.
Let it shine in your words.
Let it shine in your work.
Let it shine in your wounds.
Let it shine in the way you walk through this day.
Not for your glory—
but so others may see
and give thanks
to the Father
who lit the flame
in you.
A Prayer to Shine
Lord,
You lit a flame in me.
Let it burn where it’s needed—
in silence, in service,
in sorrow, in joy.
Make me a lamp on a stand,
so others may see You
and find their way home.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment