Matthew 5:16
The scripture for today is Matthew 5:16
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
In Matthew, chapter 5, Jesus gives a powerful message of encouragement to His disciples. It is a message that has resonated with believers in Christ ever since. In it Jesus pronounces blessings upon those who stand firm in faith in the presence of trials and persecutions, demonstrating the humble meekness of Christ and the character of God.
Jesus said to them, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14 This is a powerful assertion, but how can mortals with sinful tendencies be the light of the world? Jesus did not intend for us to think that the light or the good works originate with us. In fact, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” John 8:12 and John 9:5 So clearly, the light that Christ is referring to is not the light of man, but the light that He brings into the life of those who receive Him. It is the light of the life of Christ manifested through those who are His. God wants the world to look at us and see His Son. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6
The wonderful quality of light is that no amount of darkness can extinguish it. In fact, the darker it gets, the brighter the light appears. God has made us to be His lights, reflecting the “light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” The world will see Jesus, in a practical sense, through His body on earth. The works of Christ through the body of Christ bear witness to the life of Christ in us. That light cannot be denied regardless of how gross the darkness becomes. It is visible and it is eternal.
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim