“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13 NIV)
A few days ago I was visiting with a gentleman who is retired from a career as a probation officer in the juvenile system. He saw some very, very hard and dark things on a daily basis. He told of going to make a house visit to a juvenile only to be greeted at the door by a mostly-naked mom trying to proposition him. He told me he could tell whether a teen girl was lying or was truthful about having been raped. He said he would see young men who were so angry and violent that, if they didn’t make drastic changes in their lives, their next step was a maximum security prison. These were just some examples of the darkness he saw on a daily basis.
He would care for these young people with dignity and Christ-like love, even as he was enforcing the law and trying to point them toward a better path of life. This man knew Jesus, was active in his local church, and was able to work in a very challenging situation because of his faith. He didn’t shrink from telling others about Who made him the person he was. He said that rarely did people or situations or struggles get to him – he was generally able to shrug them off.
But every so often he would need a recharge.
He told me that in the summer he would come to our local Christian music festival, pay the $35 admission fee, and walk around talking to people for an hour or so. He had no interest in the music acts; instead, he said he needed to see and be reminded that there were good people in the world. He needed to see Light again. He needed that dose of God’s Hope and Light so that he could continue on with his work impacting hopeless young people with love and grace and hope.
Today and this week as we go about our everyday lives, may we, too, shine God’s Hope and Light into places of evil, hopelessness, and darkness.
Light of the World,
In this day and age we hear the truth of your Word – that darkness covers the earth and thick darkness over the peoples. We know that your Light and Glory rise brighter than the darkness on the earth. We grieve those who cannot see your goodness – cannot see your Light – whose unbelieving and perishing prevent them from knowing the glory of Christ. By your Holy Spirit, cause their hearts to be turned toward belief in your Light and Life. Thank you for shining brightly upon us, your people, and for calling us to be salt and light for this earth. Flood our hearts with your Light so that we can show others the confident hope and glorious inheritance you have called us to. May we confidently show the goodness of our Lord here in the land of the living, as we let that Hope and Light flow from us to brighten the lives of those around us. Embolden us, enlighten us, empower us, and pour out your grace and mercy upon us we pray in Jesus’s name, Amen.
“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.” (Isaiah 60: 1-3 NIV)
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV)
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV)
“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” (Ephesians 1:18 NLT)