Image from Acts2414.com
For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,‘Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ (Ephesians 5:8-14)
Having received Jesus as Lord and Savior has taken us from darkness to light. Our deeds done before Christ forgave us were deeds done in darkness. We were either ignorant of their being wrong, or we were intentional in doing them; regardless of what we say, we were in sin. Christ came to take away our sin and bring us into the light. Traveling a lot in this job as district superintendent means that many a night I have spent in a hotel room which like Bob Bodett says, "All look the same once the light is out," but it also means stumbling around the dark if nature calls. The room looks much better and is easier to navigate if a light is on. So is life. With the light of Christ living in us we navigate our lives better; making the right choices and life-affirming decisions, becoming people who bless others. Our light so shine so brightly that others will be attracted to it and ask what it is about us that makes us different.
The closing part of the passage also says we have lived among the dead for too long; Christ has come with life and that in abundance if we would just receive it and live it. Why continue among the ones who no longer live? Let the light of Christ shine on us and move from among the dead to the living.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, may the light of Christ shine brightly and may His gift of life to the fullest be mine. Help me shine a light that brings others to You, in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
