Listen:
Ephesians 5:8-10
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) and find out what pleases the Lord.
Consider:
Because of God entering the world in the light of Jesus, we are offered a new way to live, a new identity, a new way to move about the world. Because of this new identity, we are called to walk as children of light. But what does that mean?
It means we are no longer allowed to be shaped by our ignorance, or choose hate over love, or let fear be the final word. We are called to live by God’s rules, which are lived out in Jesus.
To follow God’s light means letting God’s presence shape our actions, our attitudes, and our choices even when (and perhaps especially when) those choices aren’t easy or popular. We are called to intentionally choose actions and attitudes that please the Lord (think faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love).
In short, following God’s light isn’t just about belief—it’s about embodying that light in everyday life, so that our words, deeds, and character radiate God’s light to the world’s dark places.
Respond:
Today, find a quiet moment to sit in a dark or shadowed space. Light a single candle or turn on a small flashlight. Notice how the light takes over the darkness, even if it is a small light. Sit in that space for a few moments, simply noticing how the light covers space in the room. Remember that you are created to be light in dark places of the world, and know that your power lies in shining intentionally, not in shining the brightest. You have light to give, no matter how small it feels!
Pray:
God of light, we know that living as children of light means choosing our actions by Your will, not our fears or selfishness. Help us be aware of and intentional about how we move through the world so that our light reflects Yours, always. Amen.
