This Little Light of Mine
What does your light look like?
PRAYER: Before we go any further, Lord, I ask that you shine Your light brightly on our hearts and spirits to reveal to us what our light looks like to the world. AMEN
I read a quote from Patricia T. Holland that said this about mothers:
“Eve was given the identity of ‘the mother of all living’ – years, decades, perhaps even centuries before she even bore a child. It appears that her motherhood preceded her maternity. “Mother” is one those very carefully chosen words that has meaning after meaning. We must not, at all costs, let this word divide us. The word “mother” is a first and foremost statement about our nature and not about a headcount of our children.”
Do you see what Patricia T. Holland is saying?
Motherhood encompasses a lot of different things and Eve herself, experienced motherhood long before she ever gave birth to a child. Eve tended to the garden, she was a nurturer and a caregiver. She gave life to many things. You and I, no matter what our status is; married, single, young, old, maternal or barren; all have the gift within us to give life. And we do just that … we give life as we nurture and care for many things (and people) around us.
In Genesis, God declared; “Let there be light!” And there was. He not only caused light in the sky but He also placed within each of us the ability to shine His light into a darkened world. This is part of that nurturing, caring and motherly instincts that each one of us have instilled in us, whether we have our own children or not.
When I was just a child, the first song I learned in Sunday School was about the Light! Perhaps you learned it too…
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine; let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”
Lights have a purpose. Take candles for instance:
- The Fragrance. Candles smell good.
“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:15)
Whether we are mothers, grandmothers, sisters or aunts; God wants us all to have a good fragrance.
2. The Light. Candles bring light to the darkness.
“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” (Ephesians 5:13)
If you walk into a dark room, a lit candle will illuminate your path. Spiritually, we need to consider how bright our light shines in a darkened world, for others to see.
3. The Wick. Not all candles last forever.
“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17)
Sometimes the wick runs out because of damage done to the candle or because it has just come to the end of its purpose. Likewise, the wicks of our light can become just a flicker when we allow hurt and difficulty to affect our light. Even when our light shines bright, God will not let our candles burn indefinitely. Each of us have a time or season. Even the brightest, godliest women I have known continues to have her light shine long after she is gone, Her fragrance and light shines bright in our hearts and lives, and now in heaven.
I don’t know if you have ever considered your life to be a candle or if you have ever considered to be maternal even if you have no children yet. But I believe that as a DAUGHTER of the KING, each of us have the ability to shine LIFE into something or someone. So, today, I would like to challenge you to think about the following question:
“What does your candle look like?”
Is it sweet smelling, does it burn bright or is the wick barley lit? I pray that you see your little light and you let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
What a great message, Laurie. You are right; if we have His light in our lives, we will shine.