Reading: Acts 10
I don't know about you, but I am still not adjusted to this new time! Ever since we "sprang forward" last Sunday morning, I haven't had much spring to my step. Setting our clocks one hour forward has left me feeling like I have been a full day behind. Yet, I have renewed myself this morning and reminded myself of my mission, which is the mission of all Christians. That is to continue to persevere in shining brightly for our Lord.Lower lights have been on my mind lately. Why? The song Let the Lower Lights be Burning by Philip P. Bliss has been going through my mind. The following quote was once made by the great Nineteenth century Evangelist, D. L. Moody:
"On a dark, stormy, night, when the waves rolled like mountains, and not a star was to be seen, a boat, rocking and plunging, neared the Cleveland harbor. “Are you sure this is Cleveland?” asked the captain, seeing only one light from the lighthouse.“Quite sure, sir,” replied the pilot.“Where are the lower lights?”“Gone out, sir.”“Can you make the harbor?”“We must, or perish, sir!”And with a strong hand and a brave heart, the old pilot turned the wheel. But alas, in the darkness he missed the channel, and with a crash upon the rocks the boat was shivered, and many a life lost in a watery grave. Brethren, the Master will take care of the great lighthouse: let us keep the lower lights burning!" D. L. Moody.
You may wonder, what are the lower lights? The lower lights (or leading lights as sailors many times term it) act as an aid to guide ships along the channel on approach to the harbor, a little further up the coast. To reach the harbor, the captain of a ship just had to align the upper and lower lighthouses, one above the other, to know that he was steering in the right direction.
In Acts 10, the Master called Peter to realization that the message of the gospel was for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Peter was summoned to begin shining to the Gentiles and he was called first to do so by sharing the message of salvation with Cornelius, a God-fearing man. Figuratively speaking, Cornelius was a captain of a ship that he had set sail in the seas. He already knew God and was already at work giving to those in need. However, Cornelius didn't know the source of his salvation. He didn't know about Jesus. Paul was sent as a lower light to shine brightly showing the course to the lighthouse. The course to Jesus. Jesus always shines brightly. His light never goes out. Yet, we as the lower lights fail at many times to point others to Him. The lyrics (see below) for the song, Let the Lower Lights be Burining, is a cry for us to continue shining our light towards Jesus. It is a cry for us to help the sailor along his course. It is a cry for us to bring others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Records are kept on lighthouses and their lower lights. In the records, it shows their status. When the light is burning the status will show "Standing and Active." So I ask you, what is your status? My prayer is that you will be like Peter and be able to say, "Yes Lord, my light is working and I am standing and active."
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your Son, Jesus. Help me to shine my lower light so that I may be standing and active for You. Help me lead others to Your salvation. Amen.
Let The Lower Lights Be Burning Lyrics:
Brightly beams our Father’s mercy from His lighthouse evermore,
But to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.
Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave!
Some poor struggling, sinking sailor you may rescue, you may save.
Dark the night of sin has settled, loud the angry billows roar;
Eager eyes are watching, longing, for the lights, along the shore.
Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave!
Eager eyes are watching, longing, for the lights, along the shore.
Trim your feeble lamp, my brother, some poor sailor tempest tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor, in the darkness may be lost.
Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave!
Trying now to make the harbor, some poor sailor may be lost.
