The Lamp Post

I love this light. You probably have one in your neighborhood too! When I’m walking or driving down a certain street, I can see it from afar. All the other lights have yielded to the morning, but not this one. I once thought that the leaves of the tree in which it had been embedded had shielded it from getting enough natural light to go off, but even when the autumn had robbed the tree of its leaves, the pole still stood like a sentry dutifully holding its lamp in the light of day, so that when evening came, its light met the darkness in a fearless encounter.

You might have one in your neighborhood. Some may think that it was programmed to be that way; or that it could be defective, operating against the norm.

In my neighborhood, I want that light to be me: shining in the morning; shining in the day; shining at night! Like that lamp post, surrounding me in the stuff of this life won’t dim my light; neither will the transparency of my walk. And when darkness comes and all the negativities of this life confront me, my light STILL shines … fearlessly! To the world I might seem defective, but through the Holy Spirit and Yeshua’s atoning work, I have been programmed that way — destined to shine! Destined to be like a city on a hill, a light on a table! A 24/7 lighted street lamp!

If your drive or your walk takes you in my direction, may you see His Light in me … from a distance … and up close, and may you be attracted by it. May you engage in wonder at the consistency of it amid the changing seasons … and then to contemplate its Source!

Yes, every neighborhood has one! May you, too, be that light in yours!

Dancing in His Light

Alice Keck Park Evening Lamp PostThe time for the annual spiritual conference had arrived. My husband and I were at Messiah College in Grantham, PA. From our room, we walked to the evening meeting spot at Brubaker Hall. The warm evening afforded a casual stroll along the lamp-post lit sidewalks. Low flying bugs frenziedly danced and fluttered in front of us. Not trying to avoid our approach, they performed passionately to some unseen audience. Since they were not trying to avoid me, I tried to avoid them. Further up I noticed that some bugs were lying still on the sidewalk. Much later than they did apparently, I realized that the ones swirling in front of me were dancing their final performance before the time ran out of their short-lived existence.

Each evening thereafter I made sure that I did not interfere with their show under the lamplights. Flap your wings!!!! Circle as many times as you want! Take in as much light as possible! Fulfill your final breath! Do it all unhindered … without me as your impediment!

Do you hear that same voice speaking to you? Whatever is your passion, let it consume the vitality of your last breath! Take not just a lesson from the transient bugs, but from the Master Himself! He performed a most amazing dramatic narrative in His final hours! He stopped dying long enough to save a criminal . . . to bless His mother . . . to forgive mankind, to cry to His Father! Then in the most beautiful final crescendo of all, He declared His dance finished! “It is finished!” (John 19:30)

I couldn’t stop his dance! His disciples didn’t! The Roman soldiers or the religious leaders would not! They, as a matter of fact, derisively cheered Him on! Not even the Father could stop him, for what He saw pleased Him! THERE was His Audience!

With all the passion of love and mercy, He made a graceful, passionate effort to show us how to do what was instinctual to the bugs under the sidewalk lamps … to finish this life as if the next life was dependent upon our finishing well.

And we do it all under His Light!

PRAYER: Abba, this is my dance! This is my performance before my audience of One! Thank you that under the glaring Light of Heaven I can passionately move, breathe and have my being in You! I mimic the Son! Amen!