February 4 Well Lighted

Luke 11:33-36 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”
 
ONE of Jesus’ most repeated, perhaps his simplest teachings for our lives is, “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl.” His point is direct. Saved in Jesus, you are to be as Jesus. Lead people out of sin’s cursed darkness, into salvation’s glorious light.
    When we look further into this Scripture, though, we may need a brighter light to fully understand Jesus’ warning, “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.”  How, I wonder, can light be dark?
    To understand Scripture, it is essential we put the text into the context of the entire circumstances in which the words are spoken. To understand the part, we must know the whole. Jesus’s focusing on three main lessons in his preaching: 1) If you are not fully with Jesus, you are without him. 2) If your “house” – your soul – is empty of the Holy Spirit, evil spirits will inhabit your life. 3) Live in faith.
    You can then in this context see how light can be dark. Be persistent to keep sin’s darkness from your Jesus-lighted life. Resist temptations. Remove harmful habits from your eyes. Fill your heart, mind and soul with Jesus, so you have no room for the dark. Be faithful in the Lord’s light in all you are.
    Think of how bright lights reveal all corners of a room or the details on the road as you drive. Knowing what obstacles may cause you to fall or crash points you away from danger. Keep Jesus’ light bright in your heart, mind, soul and eyes. Know clearly your right pathway each day. You will see and reject dangers. Safely you will be with Jesus in his glorious light of salvation. Joyfully you will help others be with him, too.
 
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Light my soul. Light my life. Guide me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (Psalms 23:3b). In Jesus’ light I rejoice. Amen.