Let it shine!!

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“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Matthew 5:14

What you are seeing is a nighttime photo of the abbey chapel and bell tower of Mount Angel Abbey in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  The abbey is built on a volcanic flow that stands 250 feet above the valley floor all around it.  My boyhood farm is located northeast of the abbey and the lights of the abbey can be seen for miles around at night.  I always knew I was almost home when I saw the lights of the abbey.

During the day the bells in the bell tower ring five time per day, calling the monks to prayer.  As we worked outside during the day, we would stop and listen for the bells to tell us the time.   The abbey on the hill was a constant reminder of God’s presence in our community.

Are you?  Are you a constant reminder of God’s presence in your community?  Jesus says that we are to let our light shine, our good works glow, that people all around us might not only be reminded that God is present, but that through our witness God might be glorified by all.

“This little gospel light of mine, I’m going to let it shine”, goes the children’s song.  The light that I hold in my life is a reflected light, a light that emanates from the face of our Lord Jesus, a light that leads to life eternal.  Though often I sin and struggle with reflecting the light of Christ, even my failures shine out as a witness, as people around me see my repentance and God’s forgiveness in me.  In my often broken, earthen lamp, people see the Light of Jesus shine out even stronger in His mercy and grace.

His Light cannot be hidden.  And His Light chases away the darkness of sin and grants the Light of eternal life to every person who turns His face to the Light of the World.

Lord Jesus, continue to shine on me in your grace and mercy.  May your Light reflect through me that You might be glorified and Your kingdom might come.  Shine, Jesus, Shine! Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado