You are the light of the world-like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5: 14, 15, NLT.
Dear God, I give You thanks for another opportunity to come into Your holy presence and worship You, according to Your righteousness. May our study today be met with Your approval, and be accompanied by Your blessing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
In exactly one month, to date, it will be one year, since our website was launched. It took a gigantic leap of faith to take on this responsibility. The only reason I accepted what I believed was an invitation from God, to do this, was His promise, “I will be with you!” He has been faithful in keeping His promise. I hope that I have been faithful in doing His bidding.
I will be running a survey to find out from you, my faithful, and dearly beloved, web family, and friends, what you have found helpful, and what you have not. What you would like us to add, or delete. I will do my best to comply with your suggestions. So please be on the look out for our survey, and please, let us hear from you. We value your in-put.
There were promises we made, but were unable to fulfill. For this we offer our regrets. We hope that we will finally be able to put into effect some of those plans; or at the very least, modify them. We would also like to send you some little token of our gratitude, for accompanying us on this journey. We thank you so very much. We will be in touch!
Blessings,
Mabel
The Scripture for our devotion today is taken from a lengthy passage (Matthew 5-7) known as the Sermon on the Mount. It is a well-known, and much loved portion of Scripture. I believe that a lot of what attracts people to it, is how human it is. When dealing with Scripture, we are sometimes shocked, at how “everyday-ish” it can sound. Perhaps that is because we lose sight of the fact, that “the Word became flesh, and lived among us” (John 1: 14)! It is of the greatest importance that we not lose sight of this fact!
As we look, briefly, at our devotional text, we recognize that humanity is being invited to cooperate with divinity, in order that God might be glorified. You should have noticed by now, that there are themes that come up again, and again, in the devotionals; under different titles, with different twists, but the same message. This is one of them. I have found through experience, that repetition is a very effective way of teaching and learning. My prayer is that those lessons that the Holy Spirit found so important that He allowed them to be repeated, will have served their purpose.
The thought that I would like to highlight today is, “You are … like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” That is a truth of great importance. Whatever the Christian does, will eventually be made manifest. We cannot be hidden! It is so important that we be convinced of this! If we are, we will be encouraged to live lives that are completely transparent! Scripture tells us that, “The one [Jesus] who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1: 9, NLT, Emphasis provided).
Where does the Christian get his or her light from? From the True Light who came into this world! Therefore, if we are His, we have received the light “that cannot be hidden.” So let us be clear lights in the world, and bring glory to God the Father!