Category: Devotion of the Day

LET IT SHINE!

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

Some hide their light under bushel or bed (Mk. 4:21, Lk. 8:16), being busy or lazy, so that it fails to shine. Some go to the other extreme, like the Pharisees (Mt. 6:1,2,16), who wanted to impress people with their piety. It is not a glare but a glow, and we are simply to let it shine. Some saints remind us of a man with a high-powered flashlight trying to dazzle people with a blinding display. God prefers stars to comets. His figure is a candle, not a firecracker.

Between the saints who hide their light and those who display it we have hard going these days. We learn more and more to appreciate those who just let it shine. We are too aware of the “men” in our text and not aware enough of our Father. Our sole business is to glorify Him and so let our light shine that others will glorify Him too.

GOD’S CURE FOR IGNORANCE

I would not have you ignorant…
Romans 11:25; I Corinthians 10:1; II Corinthians 1:8; I Thessalonians 4:13; II Peter 3:8

The Outstanding characteristics of this intellectual age, believe it or not, is ignorance. We do err, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God. (Mt. 22:29).

The world does not know its peril, like those of Noah’s day who ate and drank, married and gave in marriage and knew not (Mt. 24:39). The church does not know its need. It is like Laodicea, that boasted it was rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing and knew not that it was wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked (Rev. 3:17). The sinner does not know the saviour. Jesus said to the woman at Jacob’s well, “If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink…” (Jno. 4:10).

And Christians do not know the Lord. “Have I been so long time with you, and yet thou hast not known me, Philip?” was our Lord’s pointed question to His dull disciple (Jno. 14:9). We know Him so poorly, we are so ignorant of the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.

Ignorance unbounded! And the cure is to know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent (Jno. 17:3).