Scripture reading
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid.
–Psalm 27:1
Thought of the Day
I recently re-read the book by J.B. Phillips, “Your God is Too Small”. In it, Reverend Phillips writes about the ways that we limit God in our lives. He sets forth many areas in which we tend to “constrict” God and His amazing love, forgiveness, power, and grace. His goal as he writes is to open the windows of the mind and spirit. He wants to “enlarge the aperture through which the light of the true God” may shine. I like these words of his.
If a man lives in a light proof room the sun may shine in dazzling splendor and the man himself will know nothing of it.
When I read this I thought about the things in our lives that sometimes makes it seem like we are in light proof rooms. Sometimes we get so focused on the things around us that we miss the dazzling splendor of God’s love and light. Reverend Phillips concludes this paragraph with the idea that at times like this the answer is not to light fresh candles, but to take down the shutters and let God’s loving healing comforting light enter in. So take down some shutters.
Prayer
Lord of Light, Take away my darkness. Amen.