April 19th, 20

APRIL 19,   LET THE LIGHT IN

Our readings are I Samuel 22, Psalm 17, 35 and Matthew 6.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

What are you looking at?  Where is your eye being drawn?  What light is filling your eye? Are you looking at the world? If the world has caught your eye, then your thoughts will be dominated by worry about your survival, what to eat, drink, and wear, and people’s opinion of you.  The world is great at helping us keep your eye on ourselves. Jesus says,

Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! (Matt 6:22-23)

If the eye is like a lamp for the whole body, than what we are looking at matters. 

If the eye is like a lamp for the whole body, than what we are looking at matters.  If our eye is fixed inward, it only leads to a life of self-obsessed worry and regret which has a way of filling our whole life and dominating us.  Jesus says, when your eye is unhealthy your whole body is filled with darkness.

And for religious folks, Jesus has a special warning.  And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! (Mt 6:23)  Parading our religious light before others, in an attempt to co-opt God and draw attention to ourselves, is a deep darkness.  

But Jesus wants to invite us into a different way, that goes beyond worry and self-obsession. 

But Jesus wants to invite us into a different way, that goes beyond worry and self-obsession.  He allows and enables us to step into a life of trust and rest in God, a God-focussed life.  When we focus our eye on Him we find a Father who knows everything about us, even our private motivations, and still loves us.

Our Father sees us and lets us know that we are far more valuable to him than we can dare to imagine. 

Our Father sees us and lets us know that we are far more valuable to him than we can dare to imagine.  When you know that you are loved that way you can afford to take your eyes off of yourself and actually begin to take a good look at someone else.  A God-focussed life allows us to see, love, honor and serve other people. When our eyes and life are fixed on Him, His light will fill the whole body.  It will start to shine in all the untouched areas of our life. He will shine His gracious, merciful, healing light into our past, and onto our wounds.  

What you look at matters.  What is your eye lighting upon?  Keep your eye fixed on Him. Let the light of Jesus fill your eye.  It will bring light to your whole body, imagination, and soul, and it will make you new.

You are loved!