Isaiah Chapter 60: Verses 1-3 (NIV)
“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
2 Corinthians Chapter 4: Verse 7 (NIV)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
Colossians Chapter 1: Verse 27 (NIV)
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
I love Chapters 60-62 in Isaiah. They have always spoken to me of the greatness and glory of God and the impact of His coming, first to His own and then to those everywhere else. Today what spoke to me was the fact that it was the light of God coming upon Zion that made the difference to the city and to the people. The people were attracted by the light of God, not the greatness of Zion itself. When its dark and you can’t see what you’re doing and where to go, the first thing you need is light to be able to see and to be able to function.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that we are simply basic vessels. The important thing about us as Christians is the light we carry within us. A clay vessel in Paul’s time was the simplest and cheapest form of lamp, pot, or dish. The same applies to us – its not our talents, our gifts or anything of ourselves that will attract people. It is Christ in us – He is the hope of glory. When we meet someone through whom the light of God is clearly evident, we do find ourselves keen to spend time with them. It’s always an uplifting experience. But we need to remember that its not their personality we are attracted to. It’s the light of Christ in them.
So many people today are floundering in darkness, not sure where they are going, or why they are even here. They can’t see a way forward, or a way out of their difficulties. That’s why we need to ensure there is nothing blocking the light of Christ in our lives. He needs to be seen in us. That’s what will attract them to our churches and our outreaches. Not our denomination, not the style of our worship or the way we conduct our services. Moths are aways attracted to the light when its dark. They don’t care about the kind of lamp its coming from. It’s a reminder to me that even the Christian “clutter” that I can sometimes accumulate is not important. I need to remember the basics. Make sure the light of Christ has freedom and space to shine from my life. That’s what will attract others. The rest is not important. Whatever church we are in may be a different style of lamp than the one along the road. The style of lamp doesn’t matter – as long as the light is visible.
Dear Lord
I am grateful for the reminder today that it is Christ in us who is the hope of glory. Help me to make sure there is nothing blocking the light of Christ in me. I ask in His name. Amen.