Shine!

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” –Isaiah 60:1

Tis the season to shine!  Everywhere we go we see the celebration of light during the holidays. We see candles and lights in all kinds of decorations, big and small, inside and outside.  We sing, “May your days be merry and bright!” (White Christmas by Irving Berlin)  These lights symbolize and celebrate the coming  of the light into the world – the birth of Jesus.  “His life brought light to everyone” (John 1:4).

John says, “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5)   Light is a metaphor for truth and goodness.  That light shines in us.  Through the Holy Spirit, the light of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control shines in all of us (Gal. 5:22-23).  Wherever we see these qualities at work, we are seeing the light of God at work (James 1:17).

We all need light in our lives and sometimes we need help having light….like my husband Rob

Krabbe in this photo of an emergency car repair.  Light helps us see.  Jesus tells us to “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  We shine so that others can see God’s goodness.  One important way we shine is by encouraging one another – pointing out the goodness we see in them.

Proverbs tells us that “the words of the godly encourage many” (Prov.10:21).  We are called to be lights to the world in what we do and what we say.  Paul says in Ephesians 4:29, “Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

How can your words be light for someone today?

May the light of Christ shine brightly in you and through you in 2017!

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Melissa