Lights On

A guest speaker at church used an analogy of the electrical grid in the United States to make the point for his sermon of trusting God.

He spoke of the trust we place whenever we flip a light switch. We do not doubt the lights will go on. The same is true for the many different ways we use electricity, such as heat and cooking. He told of how fragile the system is and how vulnerable the population has become due to our dependence on electricity. What would happen if all the electrical grids in the whole country went out? It was a good sermon and gave me much to think about. Jesus said He is the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5), and He called on us to be lights.

Matthew records His words, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house” (Matthew 5:14, 15, NIV). Using the analogy of the electrical grid, I picture Jesus as the source of the electricity. We, as His children, plug in to Him and become His lights, spreading His love, compassion, and mercy to a world filled with darkness and pain. That sounds good, right? But I have to make sure that my light switch is in the “on” position. When I was growing up, my dad often yelled at us children to turn off the lights. I found myself saying the same thing to my children, and you may have had a similar experience. As I ponder this, I recognize that, often, my light switch is turned off. Jesus’ power is unlimited. It will never run out. He is more than able to provide an unending current to His lights. His power grid’s vulnerability and fragility are His people.

So then it becomes vitally important for us to stay connected to the power source. We will never have any light of our own. Maybe that is why we are counseled to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NKJV). Prayer and Bible study keep us plugged in to Jesus. When we are connected with our power source, we can spread His light wherever we go throughout the day. May we all be plugged in with the switch in the “on” position 24 hours a day, for all 365 days each year, so our world is lit up with the glory and light of our Savior.

Mona Fellers