When the Sun Shines Through!

I love sitting in our family room/dining area in the morning when the sunlight is shining through the window. It feels so warm and bright, even on a cold day. The whole room seems to be alive. The brightness of the sun wakes me up and makes me want to move forward with my day.

There’s just one problem with the sun shining through: it exposes the smudges on the windowpanes, the dust on the coffee table, and the dog hair on the floor! Now don’t get me wrong, our house isn’t dirty. We do our best to keep it clean (Kim most especially). But you all know the way it is, in even a couple of days, windows can smudge (especially on the outside) and dust can accumulate. And, with a dog in the house we have to be vigilant at staying on top of the hair that she might shed.  The fact is, the sunlight as warm and beautiful as it is, also exposes some things that we’d rather not see lest we have to pull out the window cleaner, dust rag, or vacuum. 

The sun shining through our window the morning! 

The Bible says, “...everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light…Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:13, 15-16 – NIV)

We all have those things in our lives that are hidden from sight—that is, until they get exposed by light. Each one of us falls prey to bad attitudes, misspoken words, hurtful actions, etc. And, too often they get hidden from even our own sight, thus they have opportunity to accumulate in our hearts, minds, and lives. What we need is light to shine on those areas of our lives that need to be cleanup or cleaned out.

If you’re like me, you want the light of Christ to shine into your life. You want the light of God’s Spirit to bring its warmth and brightness into your life. And, you want the light of his Word to illuminate your way. But let’s remember, it is the same light that brings warmth, brightness, and beauty that exposes those areas of our lives that may need a bit of cleaning. As we read God’s word, spend time in prayer, and seek to live in the light of Christ, we just may find ourselves, time and again, having to do a bit of house cleaning. And, that’s a good thing! After all, we want to experience the joy of living in his presence without anything to hide.

So, let’s open up our lives to the One who is the “true light that gives light to everyone” (John 1:9). Let’s allow the “sun of righteousness” to shine brightly into every corner of our lives. As we do, he will work in our lives to help us become all that we were intended to be and live the way God intended for us to live.

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris