Shining In The Dark

Matthew 5:14-16 – You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (NIV)

When I was growing up, there was a period when my parents struggled to put food on the table for their growing family. That year, in the days before hospitalization plans, I was in a hospital several miles from home for two months. My father's pay was small, and it didn't stretch far enough to pay all the mounting bills. But my parents kept reminding us, "God promised to supply our needs," and, I'm happy to say, He did. It was my parents' dependency on and faith in God that demonstrated to my brothers and me how much God loves us.

Although I would never have chosen those long periods of sickness, or the poverty with which my parents struggled when I was growing up, I have come to recognize them as part of God's plan. I've discovered that, when I'm going through the difficult times or the dark times, people watch me to see how I'm making it through. It's those times when God's love is like the small light that shines in the darkness.

There are times in our lives when God may seem far away, and we may even want to ask, "Why, God?" During these times, we need to ask God to shine His love through our lives. Let us remember that a small light shines brighter in the dark than it does in the daylight, and maybe someone needs to see our light, in order to find their way to their heavenly home.

Prayer: Dear God, remind us that You are our source of light, and that You will be with us during the difficult times in our lives. Thank You for Your love, and for being there for us. Amen.

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