Everlasting light

When do you light candles at your house? I know that in our home candles are often lit when we are entertaining and we always have plenty available for a power outage. In order that we do not stumble around the house and trip and fall, a single candle can light up a room and break the darkness. That single candle allows us to get ready for bed at the end of the day and we pray that in the morning power will return. If we do not have a candle we also have a flashlight, either way we are ready for unexpected darkness.

On the first day of creation, when everything was completely dark, God said” Let there be light!” There was no light until God spoke those words and created light apart from darkness. Now Jesus calls Himself “the light of the world.” We walk in the light when we listen and follow Jesus. Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” When we have Jesus in our life, we have the light of the world. Our sins are forgiven, and your life is full of light, there is no darkness. To have the light of Jesus means you have eternal purpose. In the time of Martin Luther, the baptismal candidate stepped from a darkroom where they renounced the devil into a brightly lit room for their Baptism. This is why we light a baptismal candle and give it to the family after every Baptism. The candle reminds you of the light of Jesus know that you are a baptized child of God. His light shines on you everywhere you go.

This Lenten season step into the light. Enjoy the light and love that Jesus brings to your life. You are a forgiven child of God who no longer needs to live in the darkness of sin, step into the light and love of our eternal advocate Jesus Christ who died on the cross so that you might live. Jesus is our rock, our refuge, and our resurrection. He is our light shining in the darkness. He died so that we might live!

Join us each Wednesday through March 29 at 7 p.m. at 711 North Fowler Avenue to celebrate Lenten services and every Sunday morning for Bible Study at 9:30 a.m. and worship services at 10:45 a.m.

(Grace Lutheran Church is located at 711 N. Fowler St. Bishop. Sunday services are at 10:45 a.m. For more information, call (760) 872-9791.)