You Are the Light

Harbor of Refuge Light by Dee Marvin Emeigh

The lighthouse stands on the rocky shores of life’s seas. Its purpose is to safely guide us, averting disaster. We can carefully follow the light into the harbor of rest or recklessly ignore the signals and risk crashing on the shore with such force that our vessel is battered or even broken. We have the choice.

We may not even care much about ourselves -- until we recognize the precious cargo entrusted to us -- one which depends on an earthen vessel like ours to carry out its destiny. Even then, we may excuse ourselves from the responsibility because we don’t feel that we are capable of such a divine purpose. We may believe it to be someone else’s task: Certainly, a worm such as I could never be expected to do anything for God!

 

There is no script we can follow that renders us good and acceptable, nor is there a formula that guarantees our success. But God Himself asks that we toss overboard our baggage of unworthiness, drop the anchor of hope into His word and hold fast to the line of faith in what He has said. This is what it means to receive Him. When we do, He empowers us to become like Him, as His children. We don't need to wonder about our purpose and destiny any longer. If we have received this precious gift of the life of Jesus the Anointed One of God, we have been chosen to carry that life to its ultimate purpose. It is to be individual, unique vessels of His life in the earth. 

    
Surprisingly, it is really not so difficult! All that is required is a continual commitment to hear His voice and allow His light to penetrate us so that we, too, may be lighthouses in a dark and desperate world -- today.

"I will say to the Lord, 'You are my place of safety and protection. You are my God and I trust you.'" Psalm 91:2 NCV

See also: John 1:12, 2 Corinthians 4:7, Matthew 5:14 

Excerpt from:

While it is Called Today - a 30-day photo devotional for living well 

by Dee Marvin Emeigh

(c) 2014 Dee Marvin Emeigh

all rights reserved

www.livwellseedco.com

The Discipline of Love

God’s word tells us He is love and that love hardly even notices when others do it wrong. It’s what keeps us from the stumbling block of offense. So, it nearly escapes my notice as I’m shaking it off and counting my blessings that four of the five new reviews for my book ranked it with 5 stars.

My email was courteous. Is there something I could have done to earn 5 stars for the fifth review? The reply was, “No. It was fine,” followed by a brief explanation. “I only give five-star ratings to those books that will end up in my personal library, to be read again and again.”

For a minute or ten, I contemplated a polite return email stating that I would probably not be adding the book I’d read in exchange to my personal library, to be read again and again, since it was a book for fourth graders, yet I gave it 5 stars because it was a good book. 

I decided to give place to the life of Christ in me instead. My expectation is from Him and He will be my supply. So, moving on to Facebook, a post on a timeline caught my attention: an article renouncing two high profile ‘false gospel of prosperity’ ministries. Being familiar with one of the two ministries in question, I looked for some Biblical principle to support what was being said. Even though the author claimed to be well versed in the Bible as well as proficient in Hebrew and Greek translation, there was no such support. 

It seemed a bit ironic to find on the same timeline, first a prayer request, then a hopeful comment about the prayer, then, finally, a sarcastic remark about the prayer not being answered yet.

Make no mistake; I’ve been in a lot of tight spots, on a very strict budget, round the mountain a time or two. No shame in needing a miracle. But if you don’t believe that God wants to bless you or prosper you (3 John 1:2), what is there to pray for? It seems a little conflicted. Kind of reminds me of what James, the Lord’s brother, wrote: “…ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind;  for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-8).

I shook off the first of these two challenges. It was personal. 

But the second was enough to prompt me to write this long overdue blog. This was an internationally published report by one Christian about another Christian. How can that be? We are supposed to be in this thing together, loving one another as one body. We are supposed to be encouraging one another day after day. To do what? To love and good works. To walk by faith in the covenant Jesus shed His blood to inaugurate.

I’m no match for a Bible scholar with a seminary degree, in fact, I have my own ‘marks’ from the religious leaders of my day, but I do know the love of God.  A world of lost and hurting people is waiting for us to get our act together and to start doing what Jesus told us to do, and it’s not go out and preach to them about repenting from sin. It’s loving one another as He loved us, and by this all people will know WE are His disciples. If, in fact, we are.