Father, right off, I want to thank You for the beautiful day and safe travels with students today, both to and from our destination. Help me be attentive to Your message to me this evening. Amen.
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Every day, I rise and go about the tasks at hand. Quite often, they are a hodge podge of variety. This week so far is full to the brim with numerous situations – calling hours for the father of a loved one, a doctor’s appointment with my wife, a trip with Future Farmers of America students (including very enjoyable conversations with their advisor), another trip to an Academic Challenge with other students, a church meeting, professional development training with my fellow bus drivers, presiding over a funeral of a beloved aunt, delivering a hospital bed to a friend in need. And, of course, the everyday parts of life, interacting with my coworkers and the kids on my routes, as well as time with Karen and interaction with my parents and son, be it by phone or text.
Some situations have me interacting with Your children, Lord. But others know nothing of You. In those instances, I run here and there, going to and fro in a very dark world. Regardless of who I interact with, Your light, Lord, is ever so bright within me. I do my best to let it shine brightly for all to see readily. You have called me to let the light you gave me pierce the darkness all about me.
As I referred to yesterday, it’s easy to think that we, and we alone, are responsible for generating the power we need to sustain our light. But we are incapable in that we simply do not have the reserves to do so. Lord Jesus, You, and You alone have an endless supply of power and resources we can tap into. But the one thing that absolutely must happen is that we have to spend time with You – not a hit or miss kind of thing but a consistent, and I mean daily, commitment of interaction with You…reading Your Word, speaking with, and listening to You is of utmost importance.
Back when I worked at Kohl’s, one of the many things we sold was solar watches. They never needed a new battery, but to continue functioning, they had to be exposed to light regularly. Occasionally, someone would bring one in for a new battery because it had stopped working. I’d ask if it had been kept in a drawer for a while, and almost every time, it had. I’d instruct them to set the watch in a window with direct sunlight, and it would recharge in a couple of days.
If we are to follow You, Lord, we cannot avoid being with You and expect to have the power we need to let our lights shine. Sunday worship is vital, but in reality, it isn’t enough. Daily contact is critical, too. Constant exposure to Your power and light is what keeps us charged.
Lord, I am here. Charge me. Empower me. May my light shine forth brightly for You.
For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine;
The Lord my God illumines my darkness. Psalm 18:28 AMP
(A major redo of a post from Mar 14th, 2019, Tues, 6:19 am)
Mar 13th, 2024, Wed, 7:37 pm
