The Secret Garden Chronicles ~ What A Difference The Light Makes! - A Lenten Devotional -Revisited

Currently: I got to thinking about the fact that I have not posted much about this Lenten season we are currently walking through.  It's been a kind of crazy month...just a lot of  "stuff" going on, little things that have thrown us off track and have kept us from focusing on the full meaning of this journey toward Easter we are currently treading.  Palm Sunday is this coming Sunday already! Wow!  Perhaps the "little things that have thrown us off track" have actually been a part of our learning to trust in the Lord and lean not unto our own understanding so much. (Proverbs 3:5-6)  That is a big part of Lent. Learning to follow what it says here in Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, 

who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, 

despising the shame, 

and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Here is what I wrote a few years ago:

3/7/2019

Here is another reposting of a previous devotional for Lent.  Many of you have already seen this and commented on it a couple of years ago.  The message is still shining through for us today, just as God's Word continues to SHINE in our hearts and lives forever...because His Word is truth and is eternal.  Let us let our lights shine for Jesus each and every day...not just during Lent, but always!!
May your day be filled with the SONshine of Christ...so much so that it brightens your path everywhere you go, and draws other people to that Light.

Original Post 3/2/2017:

Yesterday morning as I was taking a walk, I couldn't help but notice this palmetto standing tall  and proud and actually glowing with the sunlight shining through, giving it a radiance that could only come from the sun.

Today I walked past that same palmetto and was astounded by the drab and dreary difference in this once glorious palm...why?  Because there was no sunlight shining through.

I couldn't help but think about what a difference the sunlight makes, not only in drab palmettos, but in our lives as well!  But now I am thinking of a different kind of LIGHT...the SON-LIGHT of the world...Jesus Christ, the SON of God!

Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees in John 8:12 when He said:

"I AM the Light of the world.  

He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness,

but have the Light of life."

In John 1:3-5, we learn more about Jesus Christ, the Word of God:

3.  "All things were made through Him, and without Him

nothing was made that was made.

4.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5.  And the light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness did not comprehend it."

And in verse 9, we understand that Jesus Christ was that true Light...

9.  "That was the true Light which gives light

to every  man coming into the world.

In Matthew 5, Jesus' great "Sermon on the Mount", He tells His disciples:

14.  "You are the light of the world.  

A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

15.  Nor do they light a lamp and  put it under a basket,

but on a lampstand,

and it gives light to all who are in the house.

16.  Let your light so shine before men,

that they may see your good works and 

glorify your Father in heaven."

As we continue in our Lenten journey toward Easter, let us focus on letting the SON Light shine through us, shedding His glorious Light on everyone we meet.  Don't be drab and dreary like that palmetto was this morning...let Christ's Light shine through you and light up the world!!

Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13-16 NKJV

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Psalm 119:130 

"The entrance of Your words gives light;

It gives understanding to the simple."

Psalm 119:105

"Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path."

Been thinking about being salt and light...and thinking that lately I have felt like my salt has lost its flavor, and my light isn't shining as brightly as it should.  Oftentimes we get so caught up in the bad news and the darkness of this old world, and we forget that we are supposed to shine as the lights of Christ in the midst of the darkness.  The things we say and do, whatever we choose to write about or share with others, should be a reflection of the Light of Christ shining through the windows of our soul. When we let the filth of this world blow its dust and ashes in our faces and minds, we become cloudy and gloomy and dingy...and our light begins to flicker and falter and eventually, if not rekindled, it will be snuffed out by too much darkness filtering through instead of light.

I've been feeling kind of dull and uninspired lately, with nothing much to say.  And so this morning I had to just stop what I was doing and pray...pray that God would reignite the fire within me and help me to see the light of His love and the beauty He has created all around us and in us once again.  My original purpose here on this blog was to share the story of what Christ means to me and how He lives in my heart and life.  It doesn't mean I can't laugh and have fun and enjoy the fellowship of friends here...but it does mean that I must not allow anything to get in the way of His light shining forth from this city on the hill of my life.  I must not allow my words to be seasoned with old salt that should be thrown out on the ash heap, but to allow the fullness of His flavor and sweetness of His aroma permeate my thoughts and words and flow out to others who may be seeking strength and encouragement along the way.

So today, I want to let my light shine forth for Jesus...and for you, my friends. Wanna sing a little song from our childhood/Sunday School with me?

If you Google "This Little Light of Mine", you will find many different groups and individuals singing this well loved little song.  This particular video was done by a church group during the pandemic last year...very creatively done.  I love how people are finding ways to let "This Little Light of Mine" to shine in the midst of difficult trials and conditions.

Can we add our voice to this song?

Sing along!!!

This Little Light of Mine,

I'm gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine...

Amen!

Let Your Light Shine...and Choose JOY!

I'm so happy our "Lovely Ladies of the Lord" were finally able to meet again today...after a long summer apart. Here we are, standing in front of the JOY sign on the stage of the church...and we were truly filled with the JOY of the Lord.

 Even the cute little doggy "Pumkin" seemed to be filled with joy!

We sang happy songs like "Turn Your Radio On"..."It Is No Secret What God Can Do", "My Savior First of All", "I Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My heart", and "This Little Light of Mine"...

We talked about letting our light shine before the world...(Matthew 5:14-16)...and never to let the cares of this world keep us from shining for Jesus.  We also talked about becoming victorious over having an unforgiving spirit...over blaming others for our circumstances in life...and choosing JOY over sorrow...giving THANKS in all things...I must give credit to our friend Deb over at Breathing in Grace, for her post this morning entitled "Victim or Victor".  If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do HERE, because it actually became the outline for a good portion of our Bible lesson today with our fellowship group.  Deb, I can't thank you enough for posting that this morning.  As I shared it with our ladies it helped them to open up and share some of their own struggles with unforgiveness and placing blame on others rather than looking to the Lord for His victory over sin and darkness.
God truly used this lesson (which was based on the Bible Study guide "Fight Back With Joy" by Margaret Feinberg) and brought joy and blessing to us as we surrendered our struggles to the Lord in prayer.

Ladies and friends here in blogland...we are here to serve God and encourage one another in our individual walks with the Lord.  This is a place where we can shine for Jesus in a dark world...by sharing our faith and the ways God is teaching and blessing us each day. I am so grateful to Him for each of you...because you have encouraged me in so many ways.  So I want to say thank you for letting your lights shine out there!!  You have brought JOY to my heart!! And when we share with others here in our own local communities what God is teaching us...we spread that Light and Joy throughout the world. 

God bless you all...and thank you for being such special friends!!

Something a Little "Light-er"

This is the view from my dining room table looking out the kitchen windows when the light is on in the dining room, reflected in the window...

Ok, so the past couple of posts have been rather heavy...talking about death and dreams and identities. If you missed them, you can go back and read them later.  Tonight I wanted to say something a little on the "Light" side...so I've posted a picture of my dining room light as reflected in my kitchen windows.  I always notice this reflection from my place at the dinner table, and I love how the light looks like it is actually hanging outside in the trees! I've often thought of taking a picture of this view, but usually I get so bogged down in eating and cleaning up that I forget to stop and capture the light before it disappears.

I think that is true about human nature.  We tend to get so bogged down in our daily chores, responsibilities, worries, and activities that we forget to take time to enjoy the beauty around us...the way the sunlight filters through the spider webs so intricately woven and ready to surprise the unwary bug as he passes through..

the way the birds are busily flitting around from tree to tree,

gathering in the seeds and insects to feed their families for their evening meal...





or perhaps the hawk that is perched and watching for his meal to slow down just long enough to be grasped in the his talons.

We get too distracted with so many important issues that we forget the simple joy of stopping to smell the roses that are poised and waiting for us to be blessed by their sweet fragrance...


We walk so fast with our head in the air that we don't even notice the tracks and prints of others who have already passed our way....

We may not even realize that danger could be lurking just around the corner because we just aren't paying attention...  I mean...bears could be walking right across your front lawn and you are totally oblivious because you're too caught up in the stuff that could probably be set aside for a little while!

There might even be a rare or rarely seen bird sitting right above you, but you are too caught up in your plans, your computer, your book, your own little world to even look up.

An almost extinct Scrub Jay, rarely seen in our woods anymore

I know I often even forget to just stop and "GIVE THANKS" for all God's bountiful benefits

that He has so richly bestowed upon me. All this beauty surrounding us,

my family, my friends, my job, my home, my church, my health, 

my country, my freedom, 

So many things that I tend to take for granted.

As I am sitting here safe and dry and comfortable in my home, I am at this very moment listening to the 

news that is reporting the horrific outbreak of severe storms and tornadoes that have 

just swept across our country's midwest and central region. 

Suddenly my "Light-er" emphasis is feeling a bit too lacking in depth and sincerity.

Others are suffering while I am feeling blessed.

I can't explain that, and I don't know how to compensate for this.

It makes me realize just how quickly all of these blessings could be taken away...

and it causes me to stop and pray...and be all the more thankful for what I do have, and

pray that those who are hurting and suffering tonight will be comforted and cared for.

In Matthew chapter 5, verses 3-4, Jesus went up on a mountain and taught this to His disciples:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted."

A little later He said,

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden...." 

"Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."   (Matthew 5:14 -16)

I can't do anything significant about the tragedies in the world, but I can try to let my light shine where I am to bring light into the darkness.

I pray that God will help me to be a light - bearer in all that I do.

Then I will be doing my part...

and I can trust God to take care of the rest.

"This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, NO!

I'm gonna let it shine!

Hide it under a bushel, NO!

I'm gonna let it shine.

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Let it shine 'til Jesus comes,

I'm gonna let it shine!

Let it shine 'til Jesus comes,

I'm gonna let it shine,

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

Won't let Satan put it out,

I'm gonna let it shine!

Won't let Satan put it out,

I'm gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine!

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine!

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!"

Lord, help me to be a light for YOU.

In Jesus' Name I pray,

Amen.

How about you?  Is your light shining brightly? Let it shine! Let it shine, let it shine!!

Some other "Light" posts you might enjoy : The Light Has Come  , Let There Be Light, The View From My Open Window at 4:30 AM

Have YOU seen the Light?

John 8:12: "The spake Jesus again unto them, saying, 'I am the light of the world..."

As an addendum to yesterday's post about being a small candle or a flaming torch...I would like to share one of my old favorite hymns, followed by a new song by Brandon Heath about the "Light", and finally a special song from our childhood...so be sure to read all the way to the end:   Thank you for singing along with me!

"The Light of the World"

Philip P. Bliss, 1838-1876

"The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin;

The Light of the world is Jesus;

Like sunshine at noon-day His glory shone in,

The Light of the world is Jesus.

(Chorus)

Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee;

Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;

Once I was blind, but now I can see;

The Light of the world is Jesus.

No darkness have we who in Jesus abide,

The Light of the world is Jesus;

We walk in the light when we follow our guide,

The Light of the world is Jesus.

(Chorus)

Ye dwellers in darkness with sin-blinded eyes,

The Light of the world is Jesus;

Go, wash at His bidding, and light will arise,

The Light of the world is Jesus.

(Chorus)

No need of the sunlight in heaven, we're told,

The Light of the world is Jesus;

The Lamb is the Light in the city of gold,

The Light of the world is Jesus!

Chorus:

Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee;

Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;

Once I was blind, but now I can see;

The Light of the world is Jesus."

Have you seen the Light?

"You Put the Light in Me" by Brandon Heath   (Click on the link to the left)  Enjoy this latest video/song by Brandon Heath...a great song- story that better describes what I've been talking about the last couple of days in my blogs...

To complete this musical medley of songs about "The Light"...here is one of my favorites from my childhood.  Hold up your candle and sing along with me!

"This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

"Hide it under a bushel? NO!

I'm gonna let it shine!

Hide it under a bushel? NO!

I'm gonna let it shine!

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Won't let Satan put it out,

I'm gonna let it shine,

Won't let Satan put it out,

I'm gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Let it shine 'til Jesus comes,

I'm gonna let it shine,

Let it shine 'til Jesus comes,

I'm gonna let it shine,

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!!!!

Let your light shine!!!!



Servicemembers at Victory Base Complex, Iraq, attend the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Al Faw Palace, Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 24, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Eric J. Glassey
Date	24 December 2008(2008-12-24), 19:54

Servicemembers at Victory Base Complex, Iraq, attend the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Al Faw Palace, Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 24, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Eric J. Glassey

24 December 2008(2008-12-24), 19:54