Thursday September 22, 2022

Today is Thursday, September 22 and we are praying through the Sermon on the Mount.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning my song shall rise to Thee. Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Pause and Pray

Come, Blessed Lord, I seek You in the sacred stillness of the dawning day. With every breath I am reminded to inhale the goodness of Your peace and exhale the concerns that trouble my spirit. Amen.

I praise God for His many blessings and rejoice with the ancient words of Psalm 36.

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psalm 36:7-9

Pause and Pray

In John, Jesus says He is the light of the world (John 8:12). In Matthew Jesus says I am the light of the world. Light dispels darkness. I have the light of Jesus Christ in me and Jesus encourages me to shine, no matter what. I am to shine in a dark world because just one small light can make a big difference.

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

In ancient times, a person probably owned only one light, perhaps a small oil lamp. Small lamps were expensive and so was the oil used to fill them. Modest households would possess a small lamp and only light it at night. But even a small lamp, when lit, brings light to an entire room. A tiny bit of light illuminates a large space. Light permeates and dispels the darkness. I am called to be that kind of light. Since lamp light was so valuable, no one would hide it under a basket or a bowl, that wouldn’t make any sense. In the same way, I do not keep the light of Jesus Christ to myself but shine it brightly for others to see. I am salt, yes, but for the world, not for myself. I am light, yes, but for the world, not for myself.

Ask: What opportunities do I have to be light in a current situation? I am only one person, but how can my shining light change something for the better?

Pause and Pray

Lord Jesus, keep my lamp fully lit to shine brightly in this dark world. Your goodness and love cannot be hidden any more than light, so let me shine forth in action. Show me how to put the light of your love on a lamp stand, let me join with other fellow believers to be a city on a hill, shining our light for everyone to see. I read Matthew again, listening for the message You have for me today.

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

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

Today Jesus wants to speak to me about my light. I want to hear the words of my Lord anew through this familiar passage of scripture. I reflect on my past, noting the times when I seized the opportunity to be light in the world as well as times when I have neglected to do so. I consider how I am currently shining my light today. How might God want me to shine brighter in the future? What might God want me to change in my present circumstances to be a stronger light around me? Maybe my light is in danger of being snuffed out, hidden or compromised in some way. If so, how might God want to remedy the situation?

Pause and Pray

Come Lord Jesus, You are the light of my life and lover of my soul. Keep my lamp burning strong and my supply of oil steady so I can shine the light of your love in a lost, broken, dark and hurting world. Amen.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth). Ephesians 5:8-9

As I leave this time of prayer, I go eager to shine the light of Christ’s love in the places of the greatest darkness.

Amen