A common theme this month has been LIGHT.
Every time I hear a word from God, it involves light. Every vision I received has to do with light. A sunrise, a single candle, a lantern, the list goes on. Every Bible verse that has come to mind has to do with light. I believe God is making it clear that the Light of His Son is coming to Japan, and that He's going to use Japan to shine a light on the rest of Asia.
Unsurprisingly, during one of our English classes, God spoke again through light. We had lit candles and turned off the lights to play a game. As I lit each candle and watched the light blaze into existence, I smiled to myself, remembering the vision God had given me of a single candle, representing a believer sharing God's Light in the darkness. Then as I spaced the candles out on the table, God spoke again.
"You see all these candles? See how much light they put off when they're together? So it is with my Church. When you shine your light with others, the darkness is pushed back."
It also put in mind my church's Christmas Eve service. At the end, all the lights in the sanctuary go out, and the pastor lights a candle, then passes the light to someone in the congregation. Everyone begins lighting each others' candles, until the whole congregation holds a lit candle. Then, as one, we lift our candles in the air, and the combination of the light, even from tiny, six-inch-long candles, is brighter than the artificial light usually in the sanctuary.
So not only does God want us to shine the Light of our candle, our testimony, to others, He wants us to join together as the Church to create a Light that the whole world will see. This may seem like a big job, but God only calls us to share our light with others, and to encourage our brothers and sisters to shine their lights as well. So how are you going to shine your light today?
There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a spirit who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home
So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle and go light your world
Take your candle and go light your world
Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to
Light his own candle some other way
See now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to
Still holds a candle without a flame
So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle and go light your world
Take your candle and go light your world
'Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing
So let's raise our candles and light up the sky
Praying to our Father in the name of Jesus
Make us a beacon in darkest times
So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle and go light your world
Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle and go light your world
Take your candle and go light your world
Go Light Your World by Chris Rice
