“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.” - I Thessalonians 5:4-5
I love to look at lighthouses. There’s something so nostalgic about them. I love to see them perched close to the ocean, standing strong for all to see.
Today I have the chorus of a 1997Audio Adrenaline song, “Lighthouse,” playing in my head:
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
Where would my life be?
On a ship bound for nowhere
On an unforgiven sea
I thank God for the lighthouse
I thank God for the light
Truth is that although I didn’t come out of a major, catastrophic lifestyle before I became a Christian, I am so very thankful for the Lighthouse. No, I didn’t struggle with drug addiction, alcohol, or any type of abuse, but those aren’t the only reasons that lead us to a relationship with Christ. God knew back in 1984 that I would need the guidance and direction of that Lighthouse.
God knew that I would need rescuing from many issues, hurts and disappointments that I would encounter on my sea of life. He knew that I would need to rely on the direction of that guiding Light that would steer me away from catastrophe and collision.
That Lighthouse has sheltered me from many a storm that I thought I wouldn’t survive. It has made me stand strong against many prevailing winds that would have blown me away if not for the sturdy shelter He provided.
Perhaps your life lately has felt like you’re being tossed to and fro in an unforgiven sea; feeling lost and afraid; feeling like the waves of life are going to overtake you. Perhaps, recently you’ve been hit with many disappointments that have caused you to veer off course in your sea of life. Perhaps you’ve completely given up because you have been feeling like there’s no safety in sight. Perhaps you’ve been feeling desperate as you try to grasp at the air for safety because you’re tired of treading water. It’s in these desperate moments that we need to cry out to God and He’ll direct us to the Lighthouse. Proverbs 18:10 tells us, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
Remember when you first cried out to God and He gave you Jesus? Do you remember where you were in your sea of life when you cried out to Him for the first time and He directed you to the Lighthouse? In our desperate times we need to remember that we’re called to walk in the Light as opposed to walking afraid and in darkness. Remember the words written in I Thessalonians 5:4-5, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”
Let’s not allow the strong winds, waves and storms in our sea of life cause us to be in fearful darkness. Focus on the beacon of light and you’ll be led to safety. Run to the Lighthouse for shelter in the storm and you will be covered. We do not need to live life in an “unforgiven sea.”
If it wasn’t for the Lighthouse, where would our lives be? Thank God for the Lighthouse!
