Re-Center Around God
Matthew 5:14a
“You are the light of the world”
Drawing from our identity as a light of Christ, let’s re-center our lives around God again. The widow at the Temple in Luke 21:1-4 (our story for the week on Saturday) is our example of light-shining: Without knowing it, her giving related to being a light in this world.
By being faithful to God, the widow and her mite provide a light for God (Jesus) to enlighten others with insights about giving attitudes – and God is definitely glorified by her in this situation. Ironically, some might view her ‘light-giving’ as minimal in this environment; small; minimal. Yet she was, by Jesus’ estimation, the most powerful light there, strategically-placed to serve the purpose God intended.
We don't need to be anything other than we are -- in godly form. And that godly form bubbles up from our spirits as we are walking with the Spirit, following Jesus, and hanging with our Father and His family.
Review
Have you become overly-focused on your identity as one fitting into your environment form-wise rather than functioning for your environment faith-wise?
Repent if Necessary
Repent of being overly-focused on fitting into your environments rather than functioning for your environments as a light for Christ.
Return (as necessary)
Spend some time with God refilling your tank, whether singing, praying, listening to His Word, enjoying His nature. Then return to your environment ready to bless others with God’s love-laden light within You.
Tomorrow we extend our review and re-center into a discipleship point built around the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians. For your prayer prompt today, review your past week as a follower of Jesus, repent as necessary, and return God to His rightful place as center of your life. Then adjust your schedule and attitude where appropriate and prepare for the last half of your week.
Why does Jesus call His followers salt and light? In the Hebrew Bible, salt is a metaphor for God’s long-lasting covenant with Israel, connected to priestly sacrifices, ritual purity, and social bonds. The Hebrew word for light, “or,” shares a wordplay with torah, meaning God’s wise instruction. God’s wisdom given in the Torah is a light for Israel that they are called to share with the nations. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the meanings of salt and light, showing how Jesus applies these covenant words to his new community of followers.
https://bibleproject.com/podcast/salt-land-and-light-world/
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 103:13-18
- As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; - for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust. - The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field; - the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more. - But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children— - with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
Read the versus of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Teaching or Command of God
1 Peter 1:23-24
You have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God… All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall…
The Promise
1 Peter 1:25
“…but the word of the Lord endures forever.” this is the word that was preached to you.
Pondering Point
Here is a teaching sandwiched by two promises in 1 Peter 1:23-25. Although you are like grass in a sense, here today and gone tomorrow, you have been born again through the enduring Word of God – both will endure forever.