Tag: deeds

Come and See

1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2     Sing the glory of his name;
    make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
    they sing praise to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”

5 Come and see what God has done,
    his awesome deeds for mankind!

Psalm 66:1-5 (NIV)

Hiking can be an activity filled with many wonderful benefits. Being outside along trails allows one to exercise which helps to reduce weight, improve heart and lung health, and benefit sleep. This form of exercise can also reduce stress and improve mental health. Hiking also offers beautiful views of nature, including experiencing wildlife. Viewing nature can create feelings of wonderment and awe.

Like many of the psalms, Psalm 66 is a psalm of praise. The psalm begins with a call for all creation to express joy. Singing of God’s glory and offering of praise sets the tone for this psalm. The fifth verse in the psalm invites all people to come and see. The psalmist seems to indicate that by seeing what the Lord has done it is almost inevitable that one would shout for joy and sing praises to the Lord.

Experiencing God’s marvelous work in creation is one of those come and see moments. How the Lord has created the brilliant colors, the amazing effects of sunlight on rippling water, and the interaction of creatures, communicates the awesome deeds of the Lord. The key for us in hearing the invitation. Most people benefit from first-hand experiences. We are surrounded by the awesome deeds of the Lord but we must take the time and open our eyes to see.  Our praise will follow. 

Shining Light

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

Lighthouses are truly amazing structures. They stand as sentinels along almost all sea coasts and on many islands around the world. Archaeologists believe that some of the first lighthouses were built in Egypt over 2000 years ago. They became a very important navigational tool for sailors. The lighthouse shines its light to warn of dangerous areas which can lead ships to sink. They also can provide a way of determining location. The lighthouse gives direction and safety to those on the open water who are coming toward shore.

In the midst of what has become known as Jesus’s Simon on the Mount, we find Jesus talking about salt and light. Today we focus on the light portion of the discussion. Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world. We cannot be hidden. Instead, we are to shine before others. Our ways of living are to lead others to glorify the Father. Our light is to provide safety and guidance for others. We are to live in a manner which guides others to the Father where they will find ultimate safety.

What Jesus says to the listeners and us can be intimidating. There are times and situations in our lives which we do not want others to see. During these moments, instead of brightly shining on a hill, we want to be hiding under the bowl. The concept that our words, actions and attitudes are to point others to God causes one to take inventory of those items. Often, in doing so, a person realizes that changes in the way one lives may be necessary.

Hear again the words of Jesus: “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

A Gift

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

John 3:16-21 (NIV)

Each person brings something special into our lives. Like snowflakes, there are no two people exactly alike. When I was younger, I loved playing in the snow and taking time to look at the snowflakes as they fell onto my mittens. There was a beauty in the snow. My love for the snow decreased as I grew older, especially when I became responsible for removing it from sidewalks and driveways. But I still can see beauty in freshly fallen snow and each individual snowflake’s uniqueness. This can be easily translated to the beauty found in the individuals in my life and the unique offering they present to me which enriches me.

Our passage from John’s gospel begins with one of the most quoted verses of the Bible. Yet, it is important to look at this passage in its entirety. John tells of God’s love for all creation. This love is demonstrated by the sending of the Son into the world. The Son comes not to condemn but to save. If a person chooses to reject this salvation by not believing in it, then the person has condemned themselves. Then John presents an image of this action using light. He indicates that failing to believe is wishing to remain in the darkness instead of coming into the light. The reason for this is to hide their evil deeds.

Jesus brings a unique gift to us. He offers to us something which no one else can offer, the chance to be saved from the effects of our sin. However, just because he presents this gift it is our choice to accept it or not. We must step into his saving light but will not be forced to do so. If we choose not to believe in what Jesus gives from the love of God, we will remain in darkness. John presents we may make this choice if we feel exposing our deeds is too high of a cost. If this is the case, remember that grace abounds greater than any sin and forgiveness is promised.

Let each of us accept the gift given from the love of God when the Son was sent into our lives. May we all step out of the darkness and into the light, letting the Lord remove the sin which is hidden in the darkness.