Your Candle
Luke 8:16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
Luke 8:17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
Luke 8:18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
Denise Lower sent me the following from her post on her blog at: www.homesteaderblogger.com/daughterofgrace
Don’t hide your candle under a bushel. We sing a song about it from the time we can walk almost. But our speaker Sunday found a nugget in it that I had never heard before. And it has given me …….new breath for what I do.
“Therefore, consider carefully HOW YOU LISTEN”.
WOW.
He went on to say that as a congregation, this church heartily encourages family Bible reading. And it states in the Bible that God reveals Himself thru His Word. So, if we’re doing our daily family reading, then we ARE getting ‘messages’……and what do we do with them? Do we share them with anyone? Or do we just sort of acknowledge that , yeah, God ’spoke’ to us and then go about our day?
Then, the speaker at church said something extremely significant to ME. He said, “Be a candle”. Not “light a candle”, not “share your candle”, not “don’t hide your candle”……..but…….”BE A CANDLE”.
This was extremely powerful and humbling for me.”
Sharon Turbyfill said
This is what the LORD has been teaching me also. Most of the time, my candle shines in obscurity. For instance, when I take care of my grandsons while my daughter works as a nurse. When I’m doing the housework, laundry, fixing healthy food for my husband and when I exercise to stay physically strong to help others, emailing my friends in need, saving money when shopping, writing cards and showing a friendly face to the people God brings my way are just a few of the ways God allows my light to shine.
We have no record of the things Jesus did for His first 30 years except the time He stayed behind to ask and answer questions for the religious leaders in the temple when He was 12 yrs old. He was involved in simple, everyday activities of preparation for His future ministry.
When I think of some men and women who have committed violent crimes against their spouses and children, I realize the value of a quiet, simple, Christian housewife who loves her family and husband and shows it by doing quiet simple things. The most important thing some people will ever do is to refrain from their anger, frustration, ignorance and self-hatred so that they never hurt those around them. Only Jesus can empower us to have the self-control we need every hour.
Last night, my husband came home from work with very sad news about a man he has worked with for the past several years. We sat at a company dinner with this man and his wife a few years ago. His wife began to drink alcohol at our table and became an embarassment to herself and her husband. She had done that the year before also. A few days ago, the man almost killed her in a moment of rage and is now in prison while she is recovering from a near fatal injury. I never thought this could happen to people so close to our lives. It made me realize how important it is to reach out everywhere and anytime to everyone who crosses my path with the power of the Gospel.
Sharon said
Yes, and yes, and yes to all you shared. And I’ve known and believed it all of my Christian life…the day to day things that are rarely seen. I have been asking why this quiet has been so different for me…seeking to see if I am not right with Him because I have had such frustration…asking, listening, waiting. God used another friend to convey the message God wanted me to have: I’ve been out in the public, spoken at conferences all over, including Canada, worked with so many pastors concerning abused women in their churches, so many survivors of abuse and grieving people, taught Bible studies and many staff of Christian organizations, attended seminars and workshops all over……and then God almost sat me completely still about a year ago. “Sitting still” was, and has been, uncomfortable to me for I have lived my life knowing each day is a gift and I am responsible for all…the all things of my life. And then I’ve had the responsibility of an organization. I never ‘geard down’ from third gear easily. In the last four months I have lived wanting to be out on the racetrack again for God has taught me so much and there are so many hurting people.
Today I know why God stopped me…for I was very ill and did not know how ill. But three months ago I started to physically feel sooooooooo much better…….surely it was time. And, it is time…but maybe not in my “old ways.”