City Lights

(summitpost.org)

Last night, as I find myself quite often, I was incredibly tired. A well-spent day led to a lazy evening. After I packed my husband’s lunch, I gazed out my kitchen window. The view of the well-lit expanse that sold us on this house never disappoints. I saw the city below me, glowing. The lights of each home or business twinkled as the wind blew the tree leaves in every backyard behind me.

The sight is captivating and brings a smile to my face every time I take a few minutes to enjoy it. Sadly, many nights I go to bed without appreciating the beauty around me. Weariness stakes it’s claim on my body and my mind, and I fall into bed, hoping I don’t wrestle with the cacophony of thoughts that will dance through my brain on my way to slumber.

Long ago, when we first moved into this house, I watched the city below me, flickering with life. There were fewer businesses, and perhaps not as many homes. A thought struck my mind so profoundly, that it continues echoing to this day: “If the lights in each home where the Name of Jesus isn’t clung to turned off, how dark would my city be?”

Every member of every family that doesn’t know Jesus is literally in darkness.

Just how dark is my city?

Though you may not have a view of the city lights from your back windows, how dark is your city?

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” – John 8:12 (KJV)

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” – John 9:5 (KJV)

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” – Matthew 5:14 (KJV)

As Jesus resides in us, we are the light of the world.

Again, I ask, how dark are our cities…….?

Paul prayed for and left instructions for those he led to Christ, and I believe, for us, as well.  In the book of Philippians we read, in part: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputing: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life…..” – Philippians 2:13-16 (KJV)

Rejoice! The time is now! Light your cities!

(The city lights pictured above are not those of my view. My camera can't do justice to night photos, this one came from summitpost.org)