Genesis 11:1-13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28
When I was in elementary school I was in a church club in Round Lake, Illinois called “Light-bearers.” Maybe it sounds kind of old fashioned, but, of course, I was a kid a long time ago! I liked going there on Sunday afternoons. We began our meetings by saying our theme verse in unison: “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Mt. 5:16, KJV). Looking back, I am thankful for all the ways that Scripture became part of my life even as a child. I only wish I had memorized much more when I was young and then all those verses would be stuck in my head like this one is. I couldn’t forget this verse if I tried!
When I was in elementary school I was in a church club in Round Lake, Illinois called “Light-bearers.” Maybe it sounds kind of old fashioned, but, of course, I was a kid a long time ago! I liked going there on Sunday afternoons. We began our meetings by saying our theme verse in unison: “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Mt. 5:16, KJV). Looking back, I am thankful for all the ways that Scripture became part of my life even as a child. I only wish I had memorized much more when I was young and then all those verses would be stuck in my head like this one is. I couldn’t forget this verse if I tried!
The
idea of our church group was that we had a responsibility to live our lives for
Jesus, for His glory and to witness about Him to our friends. We were expected
to be “good kids” and to be kind to others and help others, and to tell the
truth, as a testimony of our love for Jesus. And aren’t those worthy goals for
anyone today, too? Jesus says in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world.”
As Jesus-followers, we are light to our culture; our very lives are to be a
rebuke to the sin and selfishness in the world around us. We are to be a blessing to our culture.
Interestingly,
that idea of being a blessing to our culture is a very old one. Notice the
Lord’s words to Abram in Genesis 12:2-3,
“I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing....All peoples on
earth will be blessed through you.” These words were spoken to Abram more than
2000 years before Jesus’ words were recorded in Matthew’s gospel. From the
beginning of creation, providing godly blessing to the pagan culture was a part
of God’s plan of redemption.
We
read just three days ago in Genesis 3 about Eve’s deception and fall into sin
and Adam’s choice to sin, too. And we read about the Lord God’s plan to “crush
his [Satan’s] head” (Gen. 3:15). Right from the beginning, the Lord God was planning
redemption. He was going to bring blessing through redemption.
And
we, His followers, are part of that plan to bring the blessing of Jesus’
redeeming death and resurrection to all people on earth.
For
more on Eve’s Deception, see my blogpost at The Good Book blog here.
-Nell
Sunukjian
How did God speak to you in Scripture today? Click here to share your reflections on God's word or read past posts. We'd love to hear from you.
How did God speak to you in Scripture today? Click here to share your reflections on God's word or read past posts. We'd love to hear from you.
As I read the account of God confusing the language of the people since they all spoke the same language, God said because of this, "nothing they plan to do shall be impossible for them". I wondered if the church today would all speak the same language (i.e. The Word of God) would nothing be impossible for us as well?
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