Reading: Luke 11:33-36
My family and I recently returned from a very enjoyable vacation at St. George Island. During one of our last evenings at the beach, I grabbed my camera and decided to capture a few shots of my girls as they played in the sand and water. I thought it was a perfect setting because they were wearing some of their play dresses instead of swim suits. As I began to take pictures one after the other, I thought of how this was a great “photo shoot.” My husband and I enjoyed watching them and he even grabbed a few moments with the camera to take some pictures himself. We both couldn’t wait to get back to our camper so we could download the pictures to the computer and see our prize photos. As I opened up the first picture, I could immediately see it wasn’t quite clear and became disappointed. Out of all the pictures we took only a few came out “decent” and the rest were blurred. We soon discovered that the lens on the camera was dirty. Clicking through the pictures I could see how the dirty camera lens not only blurred the picture but distorted the lighting as well making the beautiful evening scene look quite blue.Our eyes can be just like the camera lens – blurred with specs of dust. As I read Luke 11:33-36, I see Jesus asking me to look exclusively inward at myself. What do I see? Do I see light or darkness? I have read many theological writings in regards to this passage each viewing the aspect that Jesus is addressing the ones who were still confused after they saw Him cast out demons (Luke 11:14-16). While I feel that this may have been what Jesus was addressing for these particular individuals at that point in time, I know in my heart that today through this passage He is asking me to examine my heart. What is it that I have in my heart that is causing His light not to shine brightly? What is in my heart that is making my eyes blurred to God’s full truth and will for my life? What in my heart is causing the light to come through distorted instead of in its full depth of truth?
As I ponder these questions, I think of my attitude towards those God has placed in my life. Do I have a loving attitude towards them? Do I treat them in a Christ-like manner? I know that the answers to these questions reflect whether or not there is something I need to clean up in my heart. If I am not loving and Christ-like towards the ones around me, then I am not allowing the Holy Spirit to shine His light brightly in my life. Therefore, there must be darkness in my heart that I need to address. The darkness could be a sin that the Lord is convicting me of and drawing me to overcome. The darkness could be a prideful attitude that I have developed and possibly I have convinced myself into thinking that it was okay or it was a “Christian attitude.” Or simply it could be the Lord asking me to draw closer to Him and take time to read the Bible so He can reveal the darkness to me by the light of His Word.
Christ tells us in Matthew 5:14-16 that we are the light of the world. He says,
"You are the light of the world. A city 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. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
True light comes from God. Genesis 1 records the account of when God created the heavens and the earth. It states that the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep. The Holy Spirit hovered over the darkness and with one command from God light was placed on the earth. Light’s only source of being is through the Creator and our only source of light in our hearts is through the Holy Spirit.
Could it be possible that you are hindering God’s light from shining in this world by not addressing the darkness that is in your heart? God has given each and every believer the Holy Spirit. At the point of salvation, He gave us all of the Holy Spirit who indwells in us ready and willing to shine God's light to this empty and dark world. Examine your heart today and ask the Lord to reveal to you where you are causing His light to be distorted or blurred. Don’t rely on your own wisdom to figure it out. Rely fully on the Holy Spirit who is in every believer.
If you are not a believer, then God wants you to know that He loves you and wants you to become His child. He created you with a void in your being that only He can fill. This void, without the Holy Spirit, is full of the darkness of sin. The punishment for sin is death—separation from God in hell forever. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, came to earth over 2000 years ago and died on the cross for the sins that are in your heart today. Sin is causing the darkness that you feel in your life. There is no amount of good that you can do that can pay for the sin in your life. Jesus paid the price for your sins and overcame death by rising from the dead. You, too, can have the Holy Spirit shining His light in your heart and life if you confess that you are a sinner; realize that you need a redeemer; and believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead to redeem you from sin. Making the decision to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour is the most important decision you will ever make. This decision determines if you will spend eternity in heaven with your Creator or in hell. If you are ready to accept Christ’s redemption for your sins today, then do so by taking these steps.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your Holy Spirit and for the light He shines in my life. I feel Your conviction to clean out the things in my heart that are causing me to distort Your light. Guide me in discovering what they are so that I may allow Your Holy Spirit to shine brightly through me. I love You and eagerly await Your molding of me into Your humble servant. It is to be more Christ like that I search for the most. Amen.
