A Refreshing Focus on Faith, Flag and Family

Several weeks ago, my wife and I joined a couple dozen other folks from our church’s seniors’ group for a bus tour to Branson, Mo. Although we’d never been there, based on what friends had said about Branson we were eager to go.  

 

One of our fellow travelers said she had expected “something like Las Vegas,” but what we all found was an entertainment community culture that lived up to the city’s unofficial motto of “Faith, Flag and Family.” Or “God, Country and Family,” depending on whom you ask. Each venue we attended included aspects of at least one of those, usually all three. An online travel reviewer has described Branson as a place where “an inspirational, God-and-country style of Christian nationalism serves as comfort food for the American soul.”

 

‘Christian nationalism’ is a provocative term, eliciting a range of feelings, but I frankly don’t find fervent faith in Jesus Christ and taking pride in being a U.S. citizen necessarily a problematic mix. But let’s not wade further into that debate. Our time in Branson was a welcomed break from the vitriol, divisiveness and antagonism manifested in some segments of our society.

We didn’t have time to take in all of Branson’s notable attractions, but enjoyed a representative sampling, including the Haygoods, a remarkably talented family in which it seemed everyone was trained to play more than one instrument – including the harp – as well as sing. Then there was Clay Cooper’s Country Express, a seamless blend of patriotism, family and faith, along with some good ole country charm.

 

The area’s spiritual focus was even more evident at The Mansion, which was hosting a “PraiseFest” over several days, with an emphasis on traditional gospel music. And at Sight and Sound, where a lavish stage show called “David” (about one-time shepherd boy and then King David) was presented, including live animals – sheep, a camel, horses, llamas and birds. How they trained them to come and go on cue without creating chaos I haven’t a clue.

 

Refreshing. That’s the word I’d use to describe what we experienced at Branson. But it’s also an example of how it’s possible to integrate faith in God into every area of our lives, rather than restricting our piety to regular worship services and maybe an occasional spiritual conference or gathering.

This is what I’ve been striving to communicate through my writing over the years. To make Jesus Christ the center of every aspect of our lives is something the Scriptures instruct us to do – and it’s a blessing and a privilege to do so.

 

I’m often reminded of the apostle Paul’s exhortation to believers in ancient Colossae: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him…. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:17, 23-24).

 

One of the things we Americans seem to do well is to compartmentalize – to keep separate different parts of our lives, including our work, families, our pastimes, and faith. The “separation of church and state,” which I believe has been greatly distorted from what Thomas Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers intended, has been misapplied in attempts to divorce faith matters from the business of everyday living.

 

So, a visit to a place like Branson – there aren’t many places like it across our great land – serves as a reminder that we can successfully integrate our belief in God with everything we undertake. As Paul wrote elsewhere, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

As I’ve written before, it’s been heartening to see an increase among athletes at all levels giving praise to the Lord, in defeat as well as victory. Hopefully this isn’t a passing fad, since it’s very appropriate to credit Him for the abilities and talents He’s given us, along with opportunities to refine and put them to use.

 

At times our society – and our world – seems hellbent on outdoing the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, Babylon and Nineveh. However, we’re also seeing a surge of people in the realms of entertainment, the arts, politics, commerce, education, the sciences – and churches – zealously embracing and seeking to honor Christ not only as Lord of the ‘sweet by and by,’ but also of the ‘nasty now and now.’ Even being thankful for where we live.

As God said through the prophet, “but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” (Jeremiah 9:24). 

A Day Worthy of Remembrance and Appreciation

Veterans’ Day always reminds me of my father. He served in the U.S. Army for more than 22 years and saw combat in Europe and Northern Africa during World War II in both infantry and armored divisions. This included the famed Battle of the Bulge, fighting against German forces. His service earned him the Bronze Star for meritorious service, along with two Purple Hearts for wounds suffered during battle.

 

The old John Wayne war movies depicted memorable experiences and wartime camaraderie, but my father never talked about the war. The memories were too painful. I do remember the nights he would wake up screaming from nightmares of his times in battle. That was long before anyone talked about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Residual effects from war back then were known as “battle fatigue.”

 

My father.

Dad’s the reason I was born in Germany. He was stationed there after the war; my mom had gone to be with him – and I wanted to be close to her at the time. After a year we all returned to the States, so I didn’t have time to learn to speak German or meet any ‘frauleins.’ Among my dad’s many post-war assignments was to serve as an interpreter in interviewing Hungarian refugees, since he was proficient in speaking Hungarian, and received commendations for his skill. He retired with distinction.

Unlike my dad, I never served in the military. I used to joke that he had spent enough time in the Army for us both. When the Vietnam War was at its peak I was in college, which exempted me from the draft. And my father never urged me to enlist in military service. But I’ve always had great appreciation for those who did serve and believe Veterans’ Day is a well-deserved day of remembrance.

 

The battlefields on which American soldiers and sailors served are too numerous to mention. However, whenever there’s a protest of some sort, in a sense it’s a tribute to the many men and women that served nobly and courageously to defend our many freedoms, including the rights of free speech and assembly. 

 

Through the centuries, there have been many debates over how engaged Christians should be in matters of war. The realities and evils of war are well-documented in the Bible’s Old Testament. But if we believe the Scriptures there’s no doubt that we all should be participants in a different kind of war – one that’s spiritual in nature.

 

Ephesians 6:10-18 describes “the full armor of God,” which includes “the belt of truth…breastplate of righteousness…feet fitted with the gospel of peace…shield of faith…helmet of salvation…sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” and prayer. Indeed, like it or not, we're in spiritual war, with the minds, hearts and souls of men, women and children at risk.

 

We find more details in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 which says, “For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 

 

Every day we see, hear about and even encounter evil in many forms. As 1 Peter 5:8 tells us, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Successfully opposing such evil can’t be accomplished through philosophy, psychology or positive thinking. It requires divine power and utilizing the protective armor of God has provided for us through His Spirit.

 

I recall many years ago singing “Onward Christian Soldiers” in church. “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war. With the cross of Jesus going on before….” This hymn has fallen out of favor in recent decades, with many arguing it’s too militant. That, however, doesn’t negate the fact that God does call us to be Christian soldiers, warring against the evil forces and growing darkness in our world.

 

The apostle Paul exhorted his protégé Timothy, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3).  He also instructed him – and us – to “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12).

On this Veterans’ Day we remember the faithful service of those who engaged human enemies both overseas and on American soil. But we also must never forget the ongoing spiritual war in which we’re all unavoidably enlisted, one that won’t end until Jesus Christ makes His promised return.  

Prayer: That Powerful, Profound Mystery

“When all else fails, pray.” How many times have you heard someone say that? Perhaps you’ve thought it yourself at times. As if the primary purpose of prayer is like sending an ‘SOS’ to God, reserved for times of crisis and distress. 

The Scriptures teach that prayer isn’t to be treated as a fire alarm for use only when all other courses of action have been exhausted. Prayer, admittedly mysterious in some respects, serves as our means for uninterrupted communication with the God of creation, the One who declares, “Call on Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

 

Yes, we can – and should – use prayer to present urgent needs to the Lord. That’s what Jonah did after spending three days and nights inside a great fish: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and You listened to my cry” (Jonah 2:2). Similar pleas for help appear in the Psalms. But we do ourselves – and God – a great disservice by limiting prayer to crisis management.

 

Recently I found these comments in a devotional book by Charles H. Spurgeon, the great 19^th century British preacher: “Prayer is the never-failing resort of the Christian…. Prayer is an open door which none can shut…. Prayer is never out of season…[it] gains an audience with heaven in the dead of night, in the midst of business, in the heat of noonday, and in the shades of evening…. Prayer is never futile. You may not always get what you ask, but you will always have your true needs supplied.”

 

This truth is expressed succinctly in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. It says we’re to “pray without ceasing,” while another translation expresses it in two words: “pray continually.”

 

Much is made of “the full armor of God” described by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10-17 – “belt of truth…breastplate of righteousness…feet fitted with the gospel of peace…shield of faith…helmet of salvation…sword of the Spirit.” However, the next verse points to perhaps the most powerful weapon of all. We’re told to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” 

 

Then Paul adds, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel…” (Ephesians 6:18-20).

 

I don’t know how many times I’ve been guilty of undervaluing prayer. Someone asks me to pray for them, and I promise I will, but then I forget. Or if I do pray, it’s more like a ritual than an act of sincere intercession. When the going gets tough, however, I suddenly remember how important prayer is.

 

I mentioned earlier that prayer is mysterious. We know from the Bible that prayer is an essential part of one’s relationship with God, but often it seems like one-way communication. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God.” It doesn’t say that He will get right back with us. Sometimes what we get is only silence. ‘Is God listening? Does He even care?’

 

This is where faith comes in. When we pray, we can’t see God, make eye contact with Him. We don’t hear an audible response. His answers to our prayers often aren’t immediate – and may be different from what we expected. As Spurgeon noted, “You may not always get what you ask, but you will always have your true needs supplied.”

 

How, then, are we to pray? Years ago, a friend, Bob Foster, offered a simple acronym that can help us in shaping our prayers and not saving them for emergencies only. The acronym is ACTS:

A – Adoration. For all that He is and all that He has done, is doing and will do, God deserves our sincere and fervent praise.

C – Confession. Even if we are born again, “in Christ” as 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, sin remains a perpetual problem. Jesus Christ died on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins, but when we do sin we confess, acknowledging them and repenting to restore our healthy relationship with the Lord.

T – Thanksgiving. God is at work in our lives every day, often in ways we don’t even recognize. In prayer we express our gratitude for what we know He has done – and for the things we haven’t realized, at least not yet.

S – Supplication. This is where we present needs to the Lord – our own needs and concerns, as well as the needs of friends, family members, our communities, missionaries, people in distant lands, and whatever He brings to our minds.

 

As I write this, I’m convicted that my own prayer life isn’t what it should be. We’re busy people, easily distracted, focused on myriad important and urgent things that must be addressed. But it may be that prayer is the most important thing we can do – even today. Even right now.

Gift-Giving Season Is Near, But It’s Always the Season for Spiritual Gifts

Have you noticed how the Christmas hype is building up, especially now that Halloween is out of the way? Yes, Thanksgiving comes first, but it’s basically turkey and pumpkin pie. As far as advertisers are concerned, let’s get on with Christmas. Full speed ahead!

 

There are so many layers to Christmas. First and foremost, of course, is what it’s really all about: the birth of Jesus Christ, God incarnate. That will be the focus for another upcoming post. But when someone says ‘Christmas,’ what else comes to mind? Peppermint sticks. Parties. Frosty the Snowman, and the Grinch. Yuletide carols. Fruitcake. “The Nutcracker.” Santa Claus, Rudolph and the other reindeer. Christmas gifts.

I’m old enough to remember the spectacular Sears Wish Book -- its Christmas catalog. What a treasure. For a youngster, it was a true winter wonderland. Page after page of toys, anything we could imagine. Upon arrival, the catalog had my full attention. Like many other kids, it sparked a Christmas gift list that terrified my parents. ‘We don’t have money for all that!’ Every year the people at Sears Roebuck & Co. produced a savvy marketing tool that induced dreams much better than visions of sugar plums.

 

Then came Christmas morning, with the early wakeup time. Who could sleep with all the anticipation of what the gaily colored gift packages contained? For me, there were cowboy and Indian sets (we weren’t politically correct back then), toy trains, maybe a toy rifle (gun violence wasn’t an issue), games, books, model cars and planes, and the obligatory clothes.

 

But it wasn’t just one-sided. I remember one Christmas I saved up enough money to buy my mom a lighted, framed picture of “The Last Supper.” She loved it. And I loved that she loved it. Receiving and giving gifts made memory upon memory.

 

Have you ever considered that God loves gift-giving, too? He does. Several passages in the Bible describe them. However, these aren’t the kinds of gifts you find in a retailer’s catalog or on the shelves of a department store. No, these are spiritual gifts, and every follower of Jesus Christ is promised at least one. But they’re not baby dolls, Lego sets, electronics, or board games.

 

As the apostle Paul explains in Romans 12:36-8, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”

 

Elsewhere the apostle lists other spiritual gifts, including evangelism, apostleship, pastoring, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, speaking in tongues and interpreting them. Some theologians contend there are more kinds of gifts God gives to His people, but the point is He wants each of His children to have gifts uniquely designed for their use.

 

Why does the Lord give these gifts? Paul tells this as well: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

 

That last statement is the key. Unlike Christmas gifts we receive, they’re not given for our personal benefit alone. The gifts from God are intended “for the common good.” As Paul writes in another of his epistles, these gifts are “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13). 

 

The Scriptures compare spiritual gifts to parts of the human body, each of which has a specific purpose to benefit the whole. If you’ve been blessed by the preaching or teaching of individuals expounding on what the Bible says, you’ve benefited from the gifts God has given them. Many of us came to know Christ through people utilizing their gift of evangelism.

 

When I was working with parachurch ministries and non-profits, having to raise my own financial support, the Lord blessed me with a number of generous friends who had the gift of giving. Leadership, service, administration, mercy – we’ve all benefited from people exercising these spiritual gifts.

 

So, over the coming weeks as we view commercial after commercial about the newest and greatest consumer products that you, your family members and friends would love to have, don’t forget about the spiritual gifts God lavishly bestows on His children. The toys, trinkets and clothes we unwrap Christmas morning will one day break or wear out. But God’s spiritual gifts don’t. In fact, the impact of those gifts we use for His glory and the benefit of others will last for eternity.

Halloween: Harmless Holiday or Holy Day?

“Trick or treat!” Many of us who never have doorbells rung or doors knocked on in the evening will experience just that on Oct. 31, which has turned into the secular holiday we know as Halloween.

 

Will this be one of your 
visitors Halloween night?

When we hear ‘Halloween,’ we might conjure up all manner of images. Little kids dressed up like Mickey or Minnie Mouse, Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol or PJ Masks characters. Or the traditional costumes of scary creatures like ghosts, goblins, witches – or even well-known politicians. All canvassing neighborhoods crying out, “Trick or treat!” and expecting to have bags they’re carrying filled with candy and other treats.

People have a variety of perspectives on this annual practice, but rarely do we associate it with a revered religious tradition. Before the day was co-opted by candy manufacturers and costume makers, it was observed as All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day. The word “hallow” means holy or sanctified, so All Hallows’ Eve translates to ‘the evening of all saints.’

 

In some Christian denominations, the term “saint” is reserved for a very elite group of people. This would include the apostles, some martyrs, and individuals who are reputed to have participated in some form of miracle. However, the biblical definition of the word isn’t nearly as narrow.

 

We find an Old Testament reference in the prophetic book of Daniel, which foretells events of ‘the last days’ before the return of the promised Messiah. It says, “until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom” (Daniel 7: 22).

 

The New Testament provides a number of references that make clear that when the Bible speaks of ‘saints,’ it’s not referring to those that commonly come to mind: Saint Peter, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Christopher, Saint Nicholas, and others. The word “saint” simply means those who are set apart, made holy as a result of being born again in Jesus Christ, and being conformed into His image day by day.

 

In Acts 9:32, for example, we read that “As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.” These were living, breathing men and women who were devoted followers of Christ. Several verses later, in a brief account of God using Peter to raise a woman named Tabitha from the dead, it says, “…[Peter] gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and the widows, he presented her alive” (Acts 9:41).

 

The apostle Paul addresses one of his New Testament epistles “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). Later in the same letter, concerning a woman named Phoebe, he writes, “I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me” (Romans 16:2). In effect, the apostle introduces one saint to a group of saints in another city.

 

Writing to believers in the city of Corinth, Paul cites one of the responsibilities the saints – God’s set apart ones – will have: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). Seems like those the Lord has set apart as His children one day will serve as His Supreme Court.

 

In another letter to the Corinthians Paul exhorts believers to be actively involved in acts of generosity. He says, “There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints. For I know your eagerness to help…. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” (2 Corinthians 9:1,12).

 

To Christ followers in ancient Ephesus, Paul repeatedly refers to saints – God’s people. He opens by greeting “the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). Then he expresses his fervent desire “that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:17-18).

 

Then he explains the reason God has given spiritual gifts to all who are called by His name: “to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).

 

I don’t know about you, but I think this is so cool – to be called one of God’s saints – not on the basis of some liturgical body’s deliberations and decision, but simply because the Lord has chosen each of us as His followers, His people, His holy ones.

 

So this Halloween, while passing out candy and treats to children disguised in festive attire, try to reflect that you're doing so on All Hallows’ Eve, as one of God’s saints.

Being a Disciple Requires Discipline

“The problem with everyday life is it’s so daily.” I don’t know who said that originally, but I’ve thought it many times. Life seems easy during the exciting moments – special events, lavish parties, vacations, travel to exotic locations. But the mundane functions of daily living can be hard. 

 

Emerging bed in the morning, getting cleaned up, eating a quick breakfast (if you have time), going to work, carrying out responsibilities and trying to solve problems, heading home to decompress from the day’s demands, then going to bed to do it all over again in the morning. Indeed, everyday life is so daily!

 

The spiritual life is similar. We might have a ‘mountaintop experience’ from time to time, we might hear a sermon that inspires us or hear a song that stirs our heart, but the reality of living for Jesus Christ every day doesn’t ensure thrills every minute. It’s a matter of obedience, faithfulness – and discipline – in the midst of what’s mostly mundane.

 

I like how my favorite devotional writer, Oswald Chambers, expressed it: “[it requires] the supernatural grace of God to live 24 hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus…. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy in the ordinary streets, among ordinary people – and this is not learned in five minutes.”

 

What Chambers is talking about is discipline, a determination of heart and mind to pursue God no matter what distractions or obstacles we encounter. Jesus offered a succinct description of what this looks like: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). To “deny himself and take up his cross” means to die to oneself, to say no to anything and everything that could steer us off course in our walk with the Lord.

 

We’re in the middle of football season, and those of us who are fans spend considerable time watching games featuring our favorite teams. We admire the speed, athleticism and skill on display (hopefully more by our team than the other). But what stands out most – or should – is discipline.

 

Offensive linemen get into their set positions and remain still until the ball is hiked. If they don’t, the referees are quick to toss their yellow penalty flags. Quarterbacks, running backs, receivers all take their positions as well. Once Mr. QB has the ball, everyone moves as the called play dictates, seeking to move the ball toward the opponents’ goal line. The running back must go in the right direction and receivers must follow their prescribed routes. Without discipline, the play won’t succeed. 

 

However, much of the discipline football players exert goes unseen, taking place long before game day. Practice, practice, practice. Doing the same things over and over until they become second nature. Add to that the hours of physical training, lifting weights, meetings, memorizing the playbook. Daily drudgery, designed for success on the field.

 

This principle is vitally important for all who desire to be disciples of Jesus Christ – true followers, learners, and spiritual reproducers. Just before His ascension to heaven, Jesus commanded, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). And to make disciples, as He instructed, one must first be a disciple. And you can’t be a disciple without discipline.

 

Unlike football or other sports, following Jesus isn’t a pastime, or a casual pursuit. As the apostle Paul wrote in Acts 17:28, “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” These days we hear a lot of talk about one’s identity. For followers of Christ, He should be our identity.

 

For Paul, this was his passion, his motivation, the thing that drove him through the ups and downs of life – and he experienced many of both. Writing to believers in ancient Philippi, Paul expressed what we might consider his mission statement: “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).

 

But Paul was quick to note that he hadn’t arrived, that his everyday goal of becoming more and more like Christ – and less and less like the person he was before encountering Him – was yet to be achieved. With honesty and humility, he stated: 

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it…. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

 

Whether we’ve been following Jesus for a week, a few months, a year, or many years, we should take Paul’s words to heart. We’re still ‘in process,’ and therefore we must press onward.

 

The psalmist wrote, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Whatever the day brings, we can have confidence that it’s another day God has given to us. With discipline we can grow in our faith and revel in opportunities to serve the Lord and those He sends our way.  

We Might Not Be Suns, But We Can Be Moons

If you haven’t noticed the visual wonders all around us, you haven’t been looking. Because everywhere we look it seems there’s something else at which to marvel. From region to region, state to state, city to city, there are always spectacular places to visit, incredible vistas to enjoy.

The earth is filled with natural wonders, and I’ve had the opportunity to see some of them in person. The Grand Canyon stands out in my mind, along with the Rocky Mountains, beaches on both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the tulip fields of Holland, and the rolling hills of the Tuscany region of Italy.

 

It’s nice being able to travel and ‘see the sights,’ but to enjoy wonders of our universe we need look no farther than up. The countless stars in the sky boggle the imagination. For us they are beyond numbering, but Psalm 147:4 tells us God does: “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” The wonders of creation are all around us – and just over our heads.

 

One of those stars, the sun at the center of our own solar system, has enough splendor of its own. To me, there’s nothing more spectacular than a sunset or a glorious sunrise. Then there’s the moon, the earth’s satellite which has fascinated humankind through the centuries. Men have walked on the moon, but it’s still filled with mystery. Its phases, eclipses, nights when it seems larger and more brilliant than others. I wonder if we appreciate enough the grandeur on display in the sky above us.

 

In thinking about stars, our sun, and the moon, I’m reminded of exhortations we find in the Scriptures for all of God’s children. Did you know that to the unbelieving world around us we’re to shine like stars?

 

In the Old Testament book of Daniel, in a description of events concerning the end of times, it says, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).

 

This is not the only place where followers of Christ are described in this way. Writing to believers in ancient Philippi, the apostle Paul encouraged their faithfulness “so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved, generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life…” (Philippians 2;15-16).

 

Reading these passages, it’s important to recognize we’re not told to be stars but to be like stars. There’s a great difference. The stars – our sun being one of them – generate their own light. The moon, however, does not. It merely reflects the light of the sun.

 

In a similar yet far more profound way, as we go about our daily lives – at work, at school, in our neighborhoods, as we travel – we’re to be similar to the moon, reflecting the light of One who said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12, 9:5).

 

Because of this, Jesus also said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl, Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

 

As we spend time with Christ in reading and studying the Word of God, praying and seeking to abide in Him (John 15:7) so that we increasingly come to know Him and not just know about Him, His light will shine increasingly in us and through us, bringing much needed light to an ever-darkening world.

 

Has anyone ever asked you, “What’s different about you?” or commented, “I’ve noticed something different about you”? Could it be that without realizing it, they’re seeing the light of Christ beaming through you? If not, pray and ask the Lord that it will be so. That’s what He desires of us.