![]() ![]() We just have to go into the darkness, let our light shine, and give God the glory. Is your faith working for you? If not, why not? As you walk through life, do you carry the winsome light of God's love and grace along with you? If so, then like moths to a flame, a hurting, seeking world will come looking for the answer you have discovered for yourself. If it didn't work for me.then I didn''t try to sell it to anyone else. One of the reasons I was good at it was my realization that I was a "salesman''s sample." I had to believe in my product and use it. I put myself through college selling Watkin's Products door to door. It's "Edsel Christianity." They're just not buying it! "If this Christianity isn't working for the people who profess it, then why should I want it? I already have places to go and things to do, and places to invest my time and resources. They seek something different from what they find within themselves. They look for the things that we sing and preach about: an expression of the peace that passes all understanding, and the love, mercy and grace that are the hallmarks of the Christian faith. People watch us living our lives day by day, examine our priorities, and listen to our conversation. What the world needs to hear from the church is a sweeter song. In mythology, when Jason and the Argonauts were threatened by the song of Sirens luring them to destruction upon a rocky shore, he positioned Orpheus at the bow and bade him sing "a sweeter song." The crew, caught up in the song of Orpheus, were lured from the Siren's grip and delivered. As we do so, the radiant life-changing reality of who He is impacts our being and it becomes more evident through us. One of our greatest needs as Christians is to grow ever deeper into our own personal relationship with Jesus. On Thursday, gave me a little more grace. Recently I discovered some very telling alternative verses from Bill Harley''s Production I'M GONNA LET IT SHINE. "Let it shine til'' Jesus comes.I'm going to let it shine!" "Let it shine around the world.I'm going to let it shine!" "Don't let Satan blow it out.I''m going to let it shine!" "Hide it under a bushel, NO! I'm going to let it shine!" "This little light of mine.I'm going to let it shine!" When I was a young pastor, a mentor of mine would gather the children in front on Sunday morning and with extended finger lead them in singing. The shadows immediately evaporate in the radiance! ![]() It's the ultimate solution! When light shows up, darkness flees. The truth is, if we don't like the darkness, the greatest priority is to introduce the light. Like so many politicians of our day, quick to identify and attack what is wrong, and yet offering no alternative. In the process we have often given the world's most positive message a negative image. "I don''t smoke, I don't chew, and I don't go with girls that do." ![]() The result has been the accumulation of a thick "Don't Book" filled with countless things that we shouldn''t do. Yet, so much of Christianity through the years has spent its time and resources almost exclusively railing against the darkness. Jesus told us that we were being sent forth into a world of darkness to serve as "light." It is the true and ultimate purpose of God's people of every generation. "It is better to light one little candle than to curse the darkness." The screen, beginning in darkness, was suddenly lit by a glowing candle. I don't remember much about any individual segments, but the opening had a profound long term impact on me. The other was THE CHRISTOPHERS, a program produced by a Catholic group of the same name. Unashamedly evangelistic and theologically sound, it served as a consistent Christian witness to America's TV starved families awaiting their Ed Sullivan or Roy Rogers fix. One was a weekly drama produced by the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, called THIS IS THE LIFE. By comparison, when I was a boy, there were only two regular television programs that could even be casually called "religious." An inquisitive finger applied to the friendly remote yields a cornucopia of church services, concerts, rallies, music videos and preachers of every possible persuasion sharing news, views, books, tapes, prayer cloths and miracle water. I am constantly amazed by the wide range of Christian programming on television these days. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |