Let the Light Shine!

Christmas is certainly a season of lights. One of my families favorite Christmas traditions is riding around and looking at many of the homes who have decided to purchase stock in the local power company by creating landing strips for Santa. Lights are just a part of this amazing season. Fittingly it always has been. Shepherds were bathed in light on the hillside as the angels announced the birth of Christ. Wise Men followed a well lit and well placed star to discover the place where the baby lay. And amazingly enough, this baby that was born is throughout scripture described as "the light of the world". Jesus Christ, the reason for this amazing season, is synonymous with light.

Every year as we prepare to decorate, I am always stuck on light duty. Before you can put the lights on the tree or hang them outside, you always have to uncoil them and plug them in to check to make sure that they are working. It never fails, that as I begin to check them, there is always a strand or a section that is not burning. Unwilling or unable to just throw them away, I begin the process of painstakingly checking each bulb to find the reason for the section to be unlit. It only takes one severed connection, one burned out bulb, one bulb that is not set correctly, one small piece of copper filament out of alignment to cause a strand of bulbs to not let the light shine.

As our Savior was the light of the world, we are also called to bring light into the darkness. And yet sometimes, we don't shine as brightly as we are able. It's not a problem with the power source. It's not a problem even with our ability. More often then not, it's just something very small in our life that is causing our connection to the power source to be severed. As we count down the days to a new year maybe it's time for a little introspection to discover the source of the light outage. Because our world is certainly in need of people who are willing to let their light shine.

In an effort to improve my light outflow, I'm striving to be more thankful this year. I tend to be a very thankful and appreciative person but of late, I've noticed that I'm at times dwelling on the negative or the limitations or the areas of lack in my life. Instead, I want to begin taking a look at the multitude of blessings that are in my life. Just a few:

1) I'm so thankful for an amazing wife, Davina, who inspires me to want to be a better man. She gives wings to my dreams and she adds so much fun. I can't imagine living a moment without her kindness and caring love for me.

2) I'm so thankful that God has blessed me with two amazing children, Jordan & Abigail. They are each unique in their gifting and their talents and yet both are going to be wonderfully used by God. Each day, watching them as they mature, I'm so overwhelmed with my desire as a father to be a strong example of Christ that they can follow. Lord don't ever let my feet go where they can not follow.

3) I'm so appreciative of my parents, without whom this year we would not have survived. They have been an anchor in stormy seas and a constant source of love and support. With all my heart, I'm truly amazed by them!

4) I'm thankful for my brothers, their wives and their children. Family is truly a blessing from God and I'm thankful that each of them are striving to be pleasing to God and are examples of His kindness each day.

5) I'm thankful for my 14+ years at Life Church in Mechanicsville, VA. They prepared me to be able to endure when everything around me seemed to be sinking sand. Thanks to Pastor Buddy Thompson who allowed me to grow in my ministry and developed me as a leader. His ability to develop people is something I'm so thankful to have observed and hopefully learned. Thanks so much to the wonderful saints of Life Church who I miss every day, who made my time there valuable and showed love and kindness to my family. I pray God's blessings will continue to flow in the midst of this wonderful assembly.

6) I'm so grateful for Pastor Mark & Chantel McLeod and the wonderful saints of Church on the Move. You were, for me and my family, an oasis in a very dry place in my life. You restored to me my desire, drive and determination to effectively change this world for the cause of Jesus Christ. The future is so bright at COTM - I can't wait to see as God does what He does best, change the lives of hungry and willing hearts.

7) I'm so thankful to all of you, the folks who choose to read my mindless drivel and many who even take the time to encourage me to keep going. I'm so thankful to have reconncected with so many of you through Facebook or connected with you for the first time through this blog. It's amazing the people that God has brought into my life through this social networking medium.

8) I'm humbled and awed most of all by the amazing kindness and love of Jesus Christ. The fact that He looks beyond all of my faults and continues to love me in spite of them is so humbling. When He could, and probably should, give up on me, He remains an ever constant, abiding, faithful friend. While I have so many questions and probably annoy the fire out of Him sometimes, I know that He ultimately knows what is best for me. I have so many needs AND YET, He knows them before I ask (sometimes I wish He'd just answer a little quicker - I'm sure we all feel that way at times). . . Thank you Lord for loving me, teaching me and guiding me even when I don't deserve it, don't seem to learn it and sure can't figure it all out! You know me better than I know myself and I'm honored that you call me Friend. "No greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend."

And so I'd like to wish each of you a Merry Christmas - I pray God's greatest blessing on your life for the New Year that is to come. Let's together make an impact on our world as we Let the Light of Jesus Christ Shine through us into every dark corner and let's make a difference in the lives of those around us! God bless - love all of you - RP