This Little Light of Mine—

I love a great bargain. Thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace are my weakness, or depending on how you look at it, my strength. I’m also a sucker for a good lamp. One of my nicknames at school was lamp lady because my classroom was lit by at least twenty lamps. Our home resembles a lighting store—picture lights, candles, and lamps illuminate every room. There’s just something about the ambiance created by a soft glow emanating from every corner.

Several years ago, I searched for a suitable lamp for my back porch. Yes, even an informal veranda needs a lamp. I succeeded with the perfect find—a lamp that looked as if they made it for the outdoors with a rustic-looking wooden shade and shabby chic whitewash paint—not fake, but the authentic appearance of a rough life. My bargain of the century ($2.99) poured warmth over the side table and created a lovely evening glow welcoming anyone onto our porch’s alfresco living area.

But I soon realized outdoor lamps and Texas-sized storms don’t really mix. One evening heavy winds knocked my bargain off its side table. The fall bent the metal that held the bulb in place, creating an intermittent flickering I wasn’t sure would go away. I bent it back to its original creation, fiddled with the electrical parts, and gave it a new bulb. My lamp shone brightly again, creating the light and atmosphere I intended.

Unexpected storms popped up and knocked it off the table again and again. Each time I wondered if my lamp had seen its last light. But I gave it the tender loving care it needed to continue shining. Now when alerted to a storm, I gently tuck it under the table where it’s sheltered from strong winds. This bargain lamp has now lasted for almost a decade. It is my never-ending light.

This old lamp reminds me of our relationship with Jesus—how He uses us to emit His light in a dark world, even in the middle of storms in our lives. Jesus is faithful to care for us in the strong winds and torrential downpours. He picks us up and bends us back into shape, and sets us on the stand, so we shine again for Him. He gives us tender, loving care because He is in the business of keeping our light shining to display His glory. Jesus is the light of the world, and because we are created in His image, He will not let our light go out. But what is our part to play in keeping our light on?

We Must Stay Plugged into the Power Source

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” For your light to continue shining, you must stay plugged into the source. Recently I asked myself, “Am I spending time with the Light of the World? Does my life reflect that I’m plugged into the True Source of the light of life?” When we plug in, we can truly say, “Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). The key to staying charged by the power source is spending time in the Bible. It is alive and active, and as we read and meditate on God’s Word, He is faithful to give us His strength for our every need.

We Must Take Cover in the Storms

Sometimes unexpected events happen in our lives that knock us down, whether it’s our own sin or the sin of another, or simply just an unforeseen storm of life out of our control. We can take shelter in the arms of our Savior by placing our hearts and minds under His protection. “It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain” (Isaiah 4:6).

We are a testimony to His faithfulness in turbulent times. Something might knock us off our stand temporarily, but what a witness we are when, in the middle of our storm, we can say, “God’s got this, and I’m waiting to see how He will make a way. I know I’m sheltered in His love and protection, even if it might not seem so.” In the middle of a storm, our good deeds show up in our testimony that God is good and we trust Him even when life is hard. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). 

We Must Work at Keeping Our Light On

“Your eye is the lamp of your body, when your eyes are healthy, your whole body is also full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness” (Luke 11:34-35). We must make sure that nothing snuffs out the light within. Ask the Lord to show you. He is faithful and wants nothing more than to shine brightly through you. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

You might experience dark times as a believer, but that does not mean you are not His or not within His grip. God knows our hearts better than we do. Ask Him for revelation and examine your heart. The world needs true believers to be authentic, especially in hard times and in the struggle against our sin nature. What a testimony to an unbelieving world when we repent of our sin to the Creator of the universe. Making ourselves vulnerable to a skeptical world, displaying our humility and dependence on the faithful One who loves and forgives us, is worth the work of keeping our eternal light on! “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light (Micah 7:8).

We Must Rely on the Holy Spirit

When Paul reminded Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you from the Holy Spirit, he is literally saying, “keep the fire alive.” If our fire is in danger of going out, we must fan it into roaring flames by getting in the Word, taking shelter under the wings of the Lord during storms, and keeping our eyes on Jesus in the middle of our darkness.

But when you don’t have a breath within you to supply oxygen to your flame, there’s good news—Jesus does. In His tender compassion for you, He restores and rekindles your flame. When the trials of this life attempt to snuff out your smoldering wick, Jesus reignites your fire. When He breathes life into your smothered flame, you will surely experience the warmth in your heart, mind, and spirit. In His patience, He will stoke the bonfire until He sets you ablaze, impacting those around you again for His glory. Because ultimately, it is about reflecting His glory. And His glory will never end.

May our prayer be like the lyrics from the song, Set a Fire by Will Reagan:

“Set a fire down in my soul that I can’t contain and I can’t control.

I want more of you, God. I want more of you, God.”

For you light my lamp; the Lord my God illumines my darkness.

Psalm 18:28