Keep the Candle Burning

"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."  Matt. 5:14-16

Happy New Year to everyone!   2011.  As you and I begin a new year, we face an unknown future.  To some, this may bring excitement at the prospect of change; to others that change may bring a sense of fear and insecurity.  As I began to think about the New Year, a sense of insecurity began to overwhelm my heart. . .that's when the Holy Spirit urged me to pull a promise card from my little "Daily Promise bread box."   The verse I pulled was John 14:27b:  "....Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  Then the back side of the card said "Never be afraid to entrust an unknown future to a known God." 

The Lord couldn't have called my cell phone and made that message any clearer to me than He had just done through His written Word! *sigh* Relief! :o)

Anyway, I'm in the process of taking down all the twinkling lights, and decorations---all of the typical reminders of Christmas.   This past Christmas I wasn't able to decorate the outside of the house, nor even put the lights in the window, due to lack of time. . .which made me sad.. But I was able to decorate the inside--which made me think: 

Aren't we supposed to have the Lord's light burning within our hearts?  Why yes!  How many of us try to "let our light shine" on the outside, but His Light hasn't yet begun to burn deep within our hearts? 

Now that the lights and decorations are tucked away 'til next Christmas, we can keep the candle burning within our hearts, keep the Spirit of Christmas--the true meaning of Christmas---burning within our hearts. . .we can let our lights shine for all men to see the Reason for the Season still shines within our hearts!   And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me.  (John 12:32)  Let us lift Him up with our hearts in tuned to His Holy Spirit's power, so that He can draw all men unto Himself this year! 

Let's let our little lights shine...and guess what you get when you put a bunch of tiny pin-point lights shining, side-by-side?One GIANT BEAM OF LIGHT!  

The Christmas Lights don't have to be dimmed this year!  Let's let His light shine in the windows of our hearts to reach out to the lost and dying world around us~~for Christ!!

Happy New Year to each of you!

HUGS!

Dear Father, Even though You're not bound by time, we are facing another year. . .and this gives us time to reflect:  Have we grown closer to You, closer LIKE Your Son, and less like the world?  I pray for You to let the Light that You lit within my heart begin to burn even more.  Be the Holy Breath that fuels the fire, Holy Spirit.   I come to you, unwavering, believing You, for Your faithful promises are true--just like You are.  Thank You for bringing me, my family and my dear blogging family, through 2010. . .now hold our hands firmly as we journey into the New Year . . .burn within us; lift up Your Son--and draw ALL MEN unto You, for His name's sake, and glory, Amen.