SUNDAY'S MESSAGE

Let There Be Light

"Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." -Genesis 1:3

There was a warmth in the air when the first hint of light filtered upward in the distance. While the sky far in the west desperately clung to deep blues of shadows and darkness, in the east the unmistakable signs of life began to appear. A dozen shades of lighter blue painted the horizon while a few scattered clouds turned a dozen more hues of orange. God's paintbrush, the Master's hand at work. Everything was about to change. Life was about to burst forth with activity and laughter. The anticipation, alone, brought a smile to my lips. On this particular morning, I had a front row seat to the greatest show on earth. Then slowly, surely, steadfastly, the light burst forth and spread across the land. I was in awe that morning so many years ago as I sat on that beach in the middle of the South Pacific, and the image has never left my mind.

There is something about a sunrise, and there is nothing like a sunrise. God simply said, "'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that the light was good..." Yet, as magnificent as a sunrise can be, God's greatest creation was yet to come.

His greatest creation is YOU! "You are the light of the world," Jesus said about you in Matthew 5:14. These, the words from the One who was there in the beginning. Who had a front row seat to witness the magnificence of that very first sunrise. Who actually witnessed the light separating from the darkness. Who heard His Father say on the very first day, "It is good." Now, today, Christ is saying to you, "You are the light of the world." Jesus is telling you that, as magnificent as a sunrise can be, you have the ability to shine even brighter and more colorfully than a thousand sunrises.

Today, you may not feel that you shine like the morning sun. You may feel mired in shadows and clinging to the darkness. Nevertheless, God your Heavenly Father is saying to you, "Let there be light." Jesus your Savior is saying to you, "YOU are the light of the world! Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven."