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Thursday, October 6, 2011

Be a Light–bringer, Genesis Series(4)



Everything has a starting point. The universe started at one finite point, and this remains true whether you are a Creationists or a Big-Bangers.


I don't make New Year’s resolutions. When I was much, much younger I tried it a few times, and they just didn’t take. Usually I found that within days, I was back doing the very thing I had just sworn off. So I made a decision that I could try to live my life the best I could on a day-to-day basis, or I could spend a couple of weeks every year truly disappointed in my behavior and my lack of resolved. I chose the former. With that frame of mind I quit smoking a long time ago, and I’ve lost weight from time to time, although this doesn’t seem to “take” very well either.


We are at about mid-year, and I think it is a good time for us to take a serious look at how the year is going, and where necessary, make the choice to get back on track for the way we thought this year would be better. So, without making it a resolution, getting a tattoo or starting another system…

What do you want to make of this next 6 months? What have you forgotten about your core values,and  about who you really are? Are you walking your talk?


So, your constant question to me is,"What does this have to do with this blog, the Bible or anything else?" One of the very first distinctions God made while working His To-do List at creation was to separate light from dark.

So, what do I want to see from myself? We are mandated by our primary text to “walk in the light as He is the light.” (1 John 1:7).

I want to be a light-bringer, and I want to do it more consistently, more intentionally. I want to bring light and life into the lives of those around me. I want to be better at serving people and pouring myself into their needs. You know, for most of us there is not much in this world that we need. We have most of our wants, purchase a lot of stuff, and then become imprisoned by them.

There are so many people alone and in the dark and we pass by them daily. We forget that, “There but for the grace of God…” (John Bradford)There are a couple of other texts that I'd like to pull in here that speak about light and life. When the Ten Commandments and subsequently, Jesus speaks in the Sermon on the Mount about murder and killing, I think they are talking about the same thing that I am trying to get at here. 

Most of us would be appalled at the prospect that we could  or would deliberately shoot or stab someone. We would cringe if someone thought we were murderers, but we "kill" people every day. And, I'm not talking about killing them with kindness….


We all murder people every day. We kill their ideas, stomp on their dreams, snuff out their spirit, laugh at them, and gossip about them. This is the type of murder to which I think Christ is trying to bring our attention. We kill people every day. Sometimes in ways that we do not realize, but sadly, much more often in ways we know and and become quite skilled at.

So, here at mid-year, that’s where I am planting my flag…

Bring the Light!


What about you?

What one thing do you want to do better or be better at, starting today?

2 comments:

Bkangel said...

I want to be a better Child of God. I want a much closer connection. I want to know when he is speaking to me & thru me.

Martina McGowan said...

Bkangel, amen!