#36: I is for I Am...

I am...

Each of us can finish that sentence in a myriad of different ways. I talked about one struggle I had with that particular phrase in my "A is for Attitude" blog. There is one person in all the history of the world though, that has taken the statement "I am..." and used it to give hope to the entire human race. That is our Savior, Jesus Christ. His declaration, "I am the Light of the world" gave countless generations the hope of Eternal life.

 I love this video portrayal of the Savior's declaration that He is the Light of the world. It is so powerful. (And that good feeling you got when you watched the video? That was the Holy Spirit telling your heart that Jesus is the Christ).

Jesus Christ had to make the boldest "I am" statement anyone has ever made. But He was able to say it because it is true. Jesus IS the Son of God. From the very beginning He was chosen to be our Savior. He came to this earth to redeem each one of us. I know that is the truth. As Christ says in the video, the Father bears witness of Him. The spirit of God has borne that witness to my heart. I stand with millions (if not billions) of others to add my voice that Jesus Christ is the great I Am.

For that knowledge, I am eternally grateful.

#25: Lower Lights Burning

Brightly beams our Father's mercy

From his lighthouse evermore,

But to us he gives the keeping

Of the lights along the shore.

Dark the night of sin has settled;

Loud the angry billows roar.

Eager eyes are watching, longing,

For the lights along the shore.

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.

Let the lower lights be burning;

  Send a gleam across the wave.

   Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

     You may rescue, you may save.

(Hymns, no. 335)

"Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy" is a hymn that I really love. The first time I heard of it I learned a realatively unknown (at least to me) fact: Ships don't just use the one light shining at the top of the light house as their only navigation point. To effectively navigate you need at least 2 points to give you an accurate frame of reference. So a lighthouse will also have "lower lights" along the shore that help sailors navigate their way to safety of the harbor.

A lot of times we hear that we're like lighhouses that shine to others in the darkness. But really, the lighthouse is the Savior. He's the brightest beam, the first point of reference for sailors searching for a harbor. As followers of the Savior, we become the lower lights as we send our own small lights into the storm. As our friends and neighbors use our examples in reference to Christ, they are able to navigate the storms of life more effectively and find their way to the safety of the harbor. So the question we need to ask ourselves is: Am I shining my brightest so that those who see me can find their way home?

We have been given a great privledge to be the keepers of the lights along the shore.  How are we doing with that duty? Has your light stuttered and gone out? Then rekindle it--find a match and strike it! The Lord needs you!  If you're doing your best to keep your light glowing brightly--shine on! "Some poor fainting, struggling seaman, you may rescue, you may save!"

Let our lower lights be burning

The Light Along the Shore
(This is an article I found while researching this blog. It shares a personal experience the author had with this hymn.)