I have several hurricane lamps in our home. Periodically I need to take the globes off the lamps and clean them. We don’t use them very often but if/when the electricity goes out they come in handy, besides that, I just like looking at them. However, they aren’t of much use if the glass is dirty or if I forget to fill them with oil.
I was thinking about those lamps this morning and it reminded me of what Jesus said to the multitude at the Sermon on the Mount.
“You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, 15 and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. 16 Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 CEV
And then Paul gave us another instruction using the same analogy.
“Do everything without complaining or arguing 15 so that you will be blameless and pure, children of God without any fault. But you are living with evil people all around you, who have lost their sense of what is right. Among those people you shine like lights in a dark world, 16 and you offer them the teaching that gives life. So I can be proud of you when Christ comes again. You will show that my work was not wasted—that I ran in the race and won.” Philippians 2:14-16 ERV
Hurricane lamps need to be kept full of oil and the wicks need to be trimmed periodically to keep the lamps burning clean. They can smolder and then soot builds up on the glass chimney and the light is dimmed. It’s then the lamp has to be scrubbed clean. It was no easy task.
The world needs our light; we bring brightness to the lives of those around us through our relationships. Sometimes the glass globes of our lives get covered in soot. We need a good cleaning! The Lord uses His word will wash us clean.
“Christ did this so He could set the church apart for Himself. He made it clean by the washing of water with the Word. 27 Christ did this so the church might stand before Him in shining-greatness. There is to be no sin of any kind in it. It is to be holy and without blame.” Ephesians 5:26-27 NLV
Holy Spirit clean the globe of my life with the “washing of the water of the Word”. I want to shine as brightly as I can for the Father’s glory. Amen.