Shine

Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Think how old the sun is…thousands of years old! From the time God created it and placed it in our galaxy until now, scientists say the sun is about 300 degrees hotter and about 6% greater in radius than in the beginning! Isn’t that amazing? It is a miracle that God placed in our midst to provide light and heat to us. In comparison, let’s look at light as knowledge of Jesus and the Bible, and heat as love or comfort.

The Sun comes out EVERY morning. Have you ever walked outside during the day and it was pitch black? NO. On occasion it gets a little bit cloudy; similarly, don't we all have a bad day every now and then?  

The Sun is consistent. It is dependable. It is reliable. It is always there even when we don’t appreciate what it does, it keeps on shining. That is how we as Christians should be. We are the LIGHT of the world, and we are to have love and compassion towards the world to bring them in. Some days you're going to feel down and the weather might seem a little bit stormy, but shine like the sun.

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

We don’t need to be "sometimes" Christians. Regardless of the circumstances going on in our lives, we have to stay consistent. Also, notice that the sun has gotten larger and hotter as time has gone on. It has grown. That is what we are called to do as well. We must grow in the Lord.

2Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

I want to make a better effort to be shining for the Lord all of the time no matter what is going on around me. It may be stormy now, but it can’t rain forever.

The song “Jesus Calling” by 33 Miles really stuck out to me when I was thinking about this topic.

What do you see when you look at your world today
Do you see a glimmer of hope, or has it all turned to gray
Well start by counting your blessings one by one
Oh and I’m sure right there, you’ll start to see the sun
You see there’s always another story, another side to every coin
And how you see your circumstance is all about a choice

When you see the rushing wind, feel the pouring rain
Hear the thunder now as the clouds roll in
You’re blinded by the lightning
Do you also hear that still, small voice saying
It’s okay you’re not alone
You may be scared to death but I won’t let you go
You may think the sky above is falling
But can you hear Jesus calling

Because the darker the night, the brighter He can shine.

Look at that last line! What an awesome thought! “…the darker the night, the brighter He can shine.” May God help us remember that when things look gloomy.

Let Jesus shine through you!

-[Destiny Turner]