Arise & Shine

Eph.5:⁸ (NRSV) “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light” (emphasis added).

How does God expect us to live? God instructs us to live as children of light. Though we were once darkness, in Jesus we are light. This scripture suggests that it is possible to be light and yet be living as children of darkness would and that is a misnomer. It is possible to be light, yet your colleagues at work are confused because they do not see any light in you. You speak rudely and act arrogantly to the people you do life with. You treat people with disrespect. There is nothing in you that is a picture of Christ for people you do life with. You are the light of the world, but if you are only good when you are in church, you are not good at all. If salt is only salt when it is in the jar, it is not useful at all. If the light is only light when it is under the table, it is not light at all. Henceforth, that is going to change, in Jesus Name.

You cannot be a Christian just when you are in church. What would your domestic staff say about your life, will it be a report of light or darkness? I pray that your story will not be of one who goes to church, but the church does not get inside him or her. God says, ‘you are light, live as light’. What will your boss, your colleagues, your business partners, your vendors, and your customers have to say about you? Are you the kind that is given funds for project-A, but you divert it to project-B? This is what Jesus says about you, let it define you. You are the light of the world and you must live as children of light. God has given us such a huge responsibility. The implication of this is, if we do not arise, the world will remain in darkness.

I deliberately do not talk about politics, and it is not because I do not have an opinion or perceive what God is doing. But if you check Jesus’ public ministry, He never ever spoke politics. In fact, when they tried to drag Him into speaking about politics, for example, the question of paying or not paying taxes. Jesus asked them whose picture was on the coin. They said Caesar and He said, give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and unto God what belongs to God. That was the closest Jesus got to a political conversation. If the nation where you reside is going to change, it should be obvious to you by now that the change will not be from the political class. If our nations are going to change, it is going to be because of you and I. You may feel inadequate, helpless even but that is where we get it wrong. It is Christ in you that is the hope of glory.

Prayer: Father, I embrace my identity as a light. Lord Jesus, change this nation through me, in Jesus Name. Amen!