The Light of the World
Saturday, November 16, 2024
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Matt. 5:14, NIV.
A lone man walked down the streets of the old city of Gdansk, Poland, where he had come to do business. As he finished his business and prepared to return to his home, he noted a meeting going on inside the building he happened to be passing. Curious, he stepped in and sat down. What he heard captured his heart at once.
For the next two weeks he returned night after night to listen and learn as the gospel worked its subtle changes in his heart. When at last the meetings ended he returned to his home, not now to pursue his business, but with a burning desire to share the beautiful things that he had seen and heard about this God who he discovered was out to rescue the world from sin. Nothing was more important now than to open the door of his soul temple and invite the Spirit of his God to come to dwell within.
When he arrived at his home village and began to share the glories of the gospel with his neighbors, it dawned upon him, Wouldn’t it be nice if this temple, this body of mine, were more effectively suited to be a lighthouse to the world? Wouldn’t it be nice if the lights inside were bright, and the windows huge with beautiful pictures in colored glass portraying the saving truths for the whole world to see?
And then it was that he realized the value of the simple laws of health that God has so graciously given to His people and the reason for them. By the grace of God he would make something of his body that would witness to the world.
Soon a whole company of family and neighbors worshipped together each Sabbath day. And as the light of the love of Jesus radiated out from these believers into their community by word and deed, many “miracles” of health and healing accompanied them. The light shining from one ignited another and another, and grew brighter and brighter and lighted the whole community and beyond.
Take Jesus’ challenge: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
A lone man walked down the streets of the old city of Gdansk, Poland, where he had come to do business. As he finished his business and prepared to return to his home, he noted a meeting going on inside the building he happened to be passing. Curious, he stepped in and sat down. What he heard captured his heart at once.
For the next two weeks he returned night after night to listen and learn as the gospel worked its subtle changes in his heart. When at last the meetings ended he returned to his home, not now to pursue his business, but with a burning desire to share the beautiful things that he had seen and heard about this God who he discovered was out to rescue the world from sin. Nothing was more important now than to open the door of his soul temple and invite the Spirit of his God to come to dwell within.
When he arrived at his home village and began to share the glories of the gospel with his neighbors, it dawned upon him, Wouldn’t it be nice if this temple, this body of mine, were more effectively suited to be a lighthouse to the world? Wouldn’t it be nice if the lights inside were bright, and the windows huge with beautiful pictures in colored glass portraying the saving truths for the whole world to see?
And then it was that he realized the value of the simple laws of health that God has so graciously given to His people and the reason for them. By the grace of God he would make something of his body that would witness to the world.
Soon a whole company of family and neighbors worshipped together each Sabbath day. And as the light of the love of Jesus radiated out from these believers into their community by word and deed, many “miracles” of health and healing accompanied them. The light shining from one ignited another and another, and grew brighter and brighter and lighted the whole community and beyond.
Take Jesus’ challenge: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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