Please find a quiet place to focus on God for a few minutes, asking His Spirit to speak to your heart, and in Jesus’ name, ridding your heart and mind of distractions, burdens, guilt, worry, etc. Today’s scripture is Matthew 5:14-16
The Message (MSG)
14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
As Pastor unfolded these verses in his message this morning, a statement he made hit me square in the face. “Jesus doesn’t need fans, he needs followers!” For many decades, I was a faithful “fan”, attending church on Sunday morning, getting involved in my church where my gifts led me, and asking my family to do the same.
When it was “safe”, I was there cheering Jesus on (not shouting or raising my hands – that was not acceptable in my world), but following the rules as I had been taught. Now, none of this behavior is wrong – I’m just now understanding that these activities are only the beginning of a close relationship with my Savior.
In these verses, he’s telling me to share Him, His love, His grace, His forgiveness.
To “go public” - not hide in my safe church at worship but share Him wherever I am – “on a hill”!
To “be light” - not listen to the concerns of my family and friends and say “I’ll be praying for you”, but to stop and actually pray WITH them that instant!
To “keep open house” – not run inside my house when I get home from work, but get to know my neighbors and do life with them.
To “be generous” – not just give my monthly offering to POG, but offer more when the need arises, and not just money, but to be generous with my time.
To “open up to others” – not selfishly hoard this most wonderful gift of love, and grace and favor from the Creator of the universe, but when someone asks me about the hope I have, to share!
These old habits of being “just a fan” challenge me daily. The fact that He directly tells me in these verses “you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you?” reminds me that He created me (Acts 17:26) at this time, in this place, in this universe to be His messenger – a shy, a overweight, graying, wrinkling me? Yes! I’m a daughter of God, His princess!
Heavenly Father, help me to remember to intentionally follow you as I go through my everyday life. You don’t make junk – you have said in your Word that you have made me to share You especially with the people in this place, in this time. Fill me with your Spirit, and give me the actions and words to communicate Your Light! Amen.
kristi