16 Jesus repeated the question:“Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”           John 21:15-18 (NLT)

In the past 24 hours I have heard several pieces of news that are unexpected and sad. The tornadoes that killed over 50 people in Oklahoma, including children in their schools seem like random tragedies that are difficult to wrap our minds around. Why this city? Why this school? Why this house? Why this family? Why this child?

The passage of Scripture that came to me to read and meditate did not seem connected at first to the prayers that I was speaking from my heart. But God heard my prayers and He had something for me.

I am talking to you. The gospels relate that Jesus usually called this disciple – Peter. But here, Jesus uses his full name. I remember when my mother called me by my full name! I knew she meant me and I’d better listen up! I think Jesus is doing the same here. He wants Peter to understand that this is important and he needs to really listen.

God knows all the corners and closets in my heart. The writer of the gospel tells us that Peter is hurt and confused about why Jesus asks him the same question three times. And I may wonder when God seems to be testing my allegiance. After all, God does know all of my heart. He knows the depth and the limitations of my love for Him. He knows when I try to keep Him locked out of something I do not want Him to deal with. And maybe that is why God asks a question more than once? Maybe that is why God takes me “around the mountain again” when I thought I had learned a lesson. God knows.

If – then. And here is that “cause and effect” that I first learned in math class but is also true in every day life. IF I love You, LORD, THEN I will feed and take care of Your children.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.             1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)

Jesus tells me to take care of His children – not just the ones that I like or that like me.

It will involve sacrifice. Jesus tells Peter that this “way” of showing love will involve sacrifice, maybe even great sacrifice. Reaching out to someone who has hurt me, rejected me is not easy. Extending kindness to that same person is a sacrifice. Doing it all without any acknowledgment, let alone thanks, is a sacrifice to be laid on the altar for God’s glory, because it will be for His eyes only.

More and more I am hearing God tell me to open my eyes and heart to see and hear opportunities to be His ambassador to a world that is being crushed by indifference and an attitude of “What will this get me?” A smile, a kind word, going the extra mile without keeping a ledger are random acts of kindness that do nothing more – than extend my love to God. Will it be a sacrifice? Maybe. But then Jesus has already made the sacrifice for me, hasn’t He?

So instead of just asking “why?” when sad, tragic times come into my life, take a deep breath and call out to God. In His strength look for opportunities to be love to someone by offering a hand or word that says, “You are not alone.”

Love is the Greatest Gift of All from Colby’s Missing Memory, Marantha Singers

Lectionary texts: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22=31, Psalm 8, Romans 5:1-5, John 16:12-15

“There is so much more … “ Since 1995 I have studied God’s Word, spent time in prayer (conversation) with Him, worshiped Him in music, wept, danced, and just sat in awe in His presence. And I can say without hesitation that I know only a miniscule amount about God. Oh, I’ve learned a lot in 18 years but for all that I’ve learned, I know now that there is so much more!

The Father. It took me some time to trust my Heavenly Father. I have shared before how I did a word study in the Bible on “Father” and learned so much about who He is and what a real parent should be. I am still learning about this Father-child relationship, especially about the unconditional love that He has for me and all His children. I am learning that His plan for my life is more than I could imagine and that it is not part of His plan that I travel this path alone.

The Son. It is Jesus who drew me to the Father. It was His sacrifice and life that showed me the way to a relationship with God. I think I could study the four gospels, just those four books, for the rest of my life and still learn something new every day. It is through Jesus that I am learning about being a servant and about the un-ending grace and wisdom that is available to me just for the asking. I am never alone in any situation because I know that Jesus has been there before me.

The Holy Spirit. I think I would have died of a broken spirit if it was not for God’s great love, healing, and comfort that He has poured out on me. It has been His Spirit speaking to my spirit in groans beyond words that have come to me in the darkest of times. The Spirit has brought me messages that have certainly turned my mourning into praise and thanksgiving to my LORD.

There is always more but God won’t give me more than I can take. A parent doesn’t force-feed a child. God won’t force His revelation on me. But when I make time with Him a priority, He will always have something new to tell me.

Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish,
for His mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!
24 I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him. Lamentations 3:22-24 (HCSB)

Majesty and Glory (Psalm 8) arranged by Tom Fettke, sung by the Tom Fettke Singers

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works—
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains,and they smoke.

33 I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the Lord.
35 But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

Praise the Lord. Psalm 104:27-35 (NIV)

All this week I have been studying the passages about the Holy Spirit as this Sunday is Pentecost. And I have been reflecting on my experiences with Him.

Cleansing. I mentioned in yesterday’s devotion how the Holy Spirit came upon me and did such a cleansing on my heart and spirit. Now that wasn’t the only time that He has taken a scrub brush to me! Traveling through this life is like driving down any road. A car needs to be washed and vacuumed periodically. It’s not just about looking good. If a car isn’t cleaned, it will begin to breakdown. I don’t want to breakdown in my relationship with God. The dirt and stink of sin keeps me separated from my LORD. Isn’t it great that God Himself convicts and cleanses me so that we are closer together? To spend time with God every day and confess my sins and receive His loving mercy. I love that clean, brand new feeling!

Wisdom. How often I come to the LORD and lay a problem or situation before Him. The wonderful part is that I know that He knew before I came to Him. Nothing takes God by surprise! And because of His infinite patience, I am learning to be at peace when God’s wisdom is “wait.” His words are life and breath to me when the world has tried to take and take from me. Time with God, listening to His wisdom is like sitting down with a friend before a fire with a hot cup of cocoa and the end result is always peace.

Comfort. Over and over this week I have remembered a specific night in my life with the Holy Spirit. It was September 22, 2004. My 17-year-old son died that evening. There were many precious moments in those last hours but what I remember most was when the house got quiet and I laid down on my bed. I thought that I might not sleep much that night. And so I laid down and looked out the window at the stars in the sky. I just let my mind drift. I prayed for my older son who was in New York and would be making the long trip home. I prayed for the friends of my son who were struggling to understand the “why” of it all. And then I felt like I was just in the arms of God. I was held and comforted. And I heard a voice say, “Shhhh, Jody. Sleep now. I’ve got this. I am here with you. And James is with me. Because of Me, you will never be separated from any of your children. Shhhh. Sleep now and rest.” And I did.

I am grateful for this study time this week. It has reminded me of the infinite power of God. He is in the quiet of a snowfall and the howl of a hurricane. God is the lightness of a feather and the granite of a mountain. His Spirit hovered over the waters before there was a beginning and He will be there to call the Bride home to eternity.

How countless are Your works,Lord! In wisdom You have made them all… Psalm 104:24 (HCSB)

I Love the LORD (Be Still my Soul) arranged by Ronald Staheli, sung by the BYU Men’s Chorus

I am reading In His Steps by Charles Sheldon again. A group of people have an encounter with a homeless man which prompts them to make a group commitment to make every decision in their lives after answering the question, “What would Jesus do in this situation?” The story has been interesting to me because it looks at their faith struggles as they make decisions and how those decisions impact their lives and others.

God has faithfully been teaching me about trusting Him throughout our relationship. Learning how to listen and discern God’s voice in the everyday decisions is a 24/7 exercise. And just like with any exercise, the more I do it, the better “shape” I will be in. Jesus tells me in John 14 that the Holy Spirit will remind me of all that He has taught. Luke 12:12 says that God’s Spirit will give me words to speak “at the time” that I need the information. So if I am uncertain about whether to take a job, it would be wise for me to ask the One who knows all. The Holy Spirit may speak to me while I am reading the Bible (a passage may speak to me about the opportunities for ministry in the job), He may bring a trusted friend with wise words, or He may show me a “pro” and “con” list about the job.

I have also seen the Holy Spirit move like the wind (John 3). It is sometimes like a comforting, gentle breeze that brings peace at a time and place that is unexpected, like the hospital room of a child receiving chemotherapy. And at other times, the Spirit comes into me more like a tropical storm or even a hurricane. In the natural, those types of storms bring destruction. But when the destruction is cleaned up, often there is a new beginning or a fresh slate to work. Approximately two weeks after I made my commitment to Jesus Christ, I had such an experience with the Holy Spirit. I felt like I experienced a complete “spirit scrub.” It was a “refiner’s fire and launderer’s soap” (Malachi 3). When I left the church that night, the hard crust that had been around my heart was gone. The wall that I had built around me was gone.

When I read Acts 2, I can miss many important points about how the Holy Spirit moves and what happens when the Holy Spirit moves. When I take the time to participate in the story and insert myself, I can bring that 1^st century story into my 21^st century life. I can know that a touch from God can be expected but a surprise when He shows Himself in a way that I have never experienced (tongues of fire). I can know that God brings power and authority when He comes into my life (the fisherman, Peter, leaves the room and proclaims God’s Word in front of thousands of people). I can know that God in His Spirit moves in the lives of His children.

Breathe on Me written and sung by Hillsong Worship Team

Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into the Kingdom of God! That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”      John 3:5-8 (WEB)

Those who would rather not consider that the Holy Spirit is part of their Christian life will have a problem with this devotion. There was a time in my life when I felt the same way about Father God. I did not want to think about Him. I did not address Him in my prayers. Jesus was my Friend. The Holy Spirit was my Comforter. I was good with them. The Father was – THE FATHER. I thought He was waiting to whack me for my sins. I had sins so I was going to get whacked. The Spirit spoke to me and said, “Do a word study on “Father”. Let Him teach you through His word who He is.” I did. I got a whole new attitude. I love to crawl up in my Father’s lap. I love to look at Him and know His love. I love to feel His love even when He is rebuking me. Yes, my attitude has changed because I learned about who He truly is.

Jesus says I must be born both of water and spirit. My parents made a commitment for me to be a child of God as I was baptized as a child. It is a good thing for parents to make that dedication and I believe the ritual is way to commit that to the parents’ memory every day as they raise the child. It would be over 40 years before I made that commitment for myself. 40 years until I decided that there would be no turning back. I was baptized at that time because I believe that baptism is a sacrament. A sacrament is an outward sign of the change inside of me. My then 16-year-old daughter and son were also baptized that night. A night to remember.

The Holy Spirit was in me from the moment that I accepted Jesus. If the Father, Jesus, and the Spirit are One, then accepting Jesus means I accepted them. Now, as I said, I was entirely on board with that concept but where my faith is weak – God is strong. I was born in the Spirit. Every day, the Spirit has been teaching me. It’s like being hooked up to a spiritual IV.

“This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”        John 3:19-21 (WEB)

Here is that Three in One mystery again. The Spirit brings the Light to shine in all the dark corners of my life. There is nothing that escapes His scrutiny. When I am contemplating sin, I am moving away from the Light and attempting to stay in the shadows, trying to avoid being found out. Ha!

My life is Life with God. There are no ‘compartments’ that God is not invited in. Everything that I do, everything that I say is a reflection of God. I call myself a Christian and Disciple and so what I do is revealed as being done by God. The Holy Spirit is the ‘conviction’ that corrects me and shows me the path toward Light vs. the darkness. My choice.

Being a Christian and Disciple of Jesus Christ is not my name tag inside of a church building. It is my name tag every minute of every day no matter where I am.

Take time to read John 3 today. Listen as the Three in One speaks to your spirit.

Spirit and the Bride written by Tom Dickson, sung by Lindell Cooley

13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”     Acts 2:9-13 (CEV)

The first mention of the Spirit of God in the Bible is in Genesis 1:2. And the last mention is in Revelation 22:17. From beginning to end, Father, Son and Spirit are One and in all His inspired Word. God’s inspired Word is powerful, comforting, wise, loving and troubling. It is food for my spirit. Sometimes sweet as a Twinkie and other times more like a Brussel sprout. (God has been trying to get me to consume a balanced, healthy diet all along!)

So if the Spirit of God has been part of God’s relationship with His children all along, what is Pentecost all about? I believe that just as Jesus came as God-in-the-flesh, Emmanuel, and took our relationship with the Father to a new level, the Spirit came in a tangible way to do the same. Both are expressions of God’s great love for us.

Here we are, God’s children who come in all sizes and colors. We have grown up in countries, neighborhoods, and in families that have given us traditions and, at the very least, influenced our belief system. Some of us worship on Saturday, some on Sunday. We read the same Bible and yet interpret Scripture in different ways. Jesus came to save us all. He promised the Holy Spirit to us all.

The Spirit speaks to each of us in our own language. In the 1990′s, psychologist John Gray wrote what became a very popular work and catch phrase, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. My husband and I sometimes wonder if we are also from different planets as we often find ourselves in a “vigorous discussion” on a subject and as we attempt to communicate our point of view, we find we have the same thought, but we are using different words. We are speaking different languages. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to listen to the Holy Spirit speak to all God’s children about the wonderful things He has done?

The Holy Spirit can bring amazement and questions. From 1995-2000 I watched in amazement as God’s Spirit came in a very tangible way to a neighborhood in my town. We often call these happenings “revivals” or “awakenings.” Thousands of people came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and turned to Jesus as their savior. Thousands received healing in their minds, bodies and spirits. They heard God speak to them in their language and came together to worship Him. I witnessed things I cannot explain. Even these years later, I have unanswered questions. What did it all mean?

How will I respond to the Holy Spirit? What has become known as The Pensacola Outpouring was a revival greeted with great joy by many and disbelief by others. How do I know what truly is the Holy Spirit and what is not? Paul told the church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22) not to reject the Spirit but to test everything and keep only what was good; reject what was evil. What is the fruit of what is happening? Do people love God and His children more? Then it must be the Holy Spirit. Are people critical and destructive? Then it must not be the Holy Spirit.

John 3 tells us about the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee and by all gospel accounts a learned man. Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about the Holy Spirit. He compares the movement of the Holy Spirit to the blowing of the wind, elusive and not controlled by man. Jesus also says that it is the Holy Spirit that will bring about my “rebirth” that makes me brand new. Holy Spirit, You are welcome in my life!

Holy Spirit Come Fill This Place written and sung by Cece Winans

15 Jesus said to his disciples:

If you love me, you will do as I command.16 Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. 17 The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don’t see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you.”    John 14:11-17 (CEV)

Lectionary texts: Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:24-35, Roman 8:14-17, John 14:8-17, 25-27

Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday and so the Lectionary texts this week are focused on the Holy Spirit. In my study experience, spending time reading and learning about the Holy Spirit will be uplifting and yet leave me with more questions than I had before I started.

John 14 has represented to me the beginning of Jesus’ intensive teachings as He knows His time here on earth is short. He is trying to get the principles across to His disciples who will carry the Good News on. He knows that in the days following His death that the disciples will be frightened and feel alone. He keeps the delivery of His words like “cliff notes.”

Have faith in Me. Jesus knows that when the events of the coming week occurs: the trial and crucifixion, that doubt and fear are going to grip the disciples. They were God’s Chosen People, weren’t they? This is not how they had envisioned God’s Kingdom ruling. How can the Kingdom come without the King overthrowing Rome and taking His place on a throne in Jerusalem?

Jesus tells them that believing in Him is believing in the Father. That believing through the miracles that He and the Father were one in power was accepting their relationship to the Him and the Father which comes with power. They would have a relationship with the Father like Moses did and the Father would work even greater miracles through them. Jesus was going to the Father and His ears would be turned to hear their prayers, their requests. Just ask Him and He would answer so that the Father would receive all glory.

If you want to show your love for Me, obey Me. Here is a warning to the disciples to not just proclaim their love for Jesus with their mouths and then do whatever they wanted to do. That is how the Pharisees said they loved God and then used their rules and rituals for their own gain and glory. When Jesus said that to be great in His Kingdom we must be servants, then obey Him by serving others.

And here is where the Holy Spirit will be key as He reminds me of Jesus’ principles and convicts me when I go off the path. If I want to know what is truly Jesus’ way, listen to His Spirit speak to my spirit.

God is with you always. And no matter what others may say or what I see with my human eyes, the Spirit is always with me and will never leave me. In the darkness of despair and grief, in the gray fog of confusion, the Holy Spirit will be the Light of Truth that will lead me out. The spirit in the world and the people who reject anything they cannot empirically prove may say I am weak or crazy, but it is by the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and love that I will live.

And so I am uplifted once again today. And, yes, I still have questions. But the Holy Spirit is with me and so we will continue to talk and I will continue to learn because God always keeps His promises.

Holy Spirit Rain Down written by Alvin Slaughter and sung by Hillsong Worship Team

When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do.
But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways …

For now there are faith, hope, and love.
But of these three, the greatest is love.          1 Corinthians 13:1, 11, 13

This isn’t a devotion just for mothers. It’s not just for women. It’s about everyone who has an influence over a child. That covers everyone.

This weekend is a time to celebrate mothers. It can be a wonderfully joyous day filled with laughter, good food, memorable cards, and the outpouring of love. It can also be painful if you have recently suffered through the loss of your mother or your child or maybe your memories and relationship with your mother is estranged.

A few years ago I did a word study through the Bible on “father.” It took me several weeks on that initial study to look up all the passages that mentioned ‘father’ and follow the path of each in its context. Do you know what I found out? God is my Father but He is big enough to also have some characteristics that I usually associated with “mother.” His tenderness, compassion, and willingness to sacrifice what was most precious to His heart in order to save His children, it all sounded like a mother to me. And so I learned about being a mother also in my study. I continue to study and continue to learn more.

Being a mother is not about biology. Just because I can give birth to a child does not make me a mother. It is about setting aside my wants and even needs in order to nurture and care for a child. I have friends who have not had a child themselves and yet they have influenced my children and others with their encouragement and talents and naturally flowing love. I am grateful for their willingness to give. I also know women who have had children and it just does not seem to be in them to set aside their wants in order to care for the wonderful gifts they have been given. Their children are burdens to them and take away the attention they feel they deserve. It is sad to see what they are missing and how their children keep hoping for just a crumb of unconditional love.

This weekend, reach out and bless the ‘mothers’ in your life. Don’t get stressed about how perfect or how big the gift is but make it a gift from your heart. It could be as simple as a telephone call with the opportunity to say, “I love you, Mom. Thank you for _________ .” And pour out some unexpected love on someone who has been a loving mom to you even though they did not give birth to you. Let us teach our children how loving our mothers isn’t just on Mother’s Day but every day.

Mama’s Song written by Luke Laird and Carrie Underwood who also sings it

Listen to God’s voice today!
8 Don’t be stubborn and rebel as your ancestors did
at Meribah and Massah out in the desert.
9 For forty years they tested God and saw the things he did.
10 Then God got tired of them and said,
“You never show good sense,
and you don’t understand what I want you to do.”
11 In his anger, God told them,
“You people will never enter my place of rest.”         Psalm 95:7-11 (CEV)

Does God go on vacation? I asked this question yesterday when my husband came home from the Bible study he attends every Wednesday and told me that the leader announced “we won’t meet during the summer.” I am eternally grateful that God doesn’t take the summer off from caring for me! And this fellowship isn’t the only one who has significantly lower attendance during the summer and discontinues its “extra” study groups and Wednesday night dinners, etc. Interestingly enough, the summer is usually the busiest time for youth and children directors as parents take advantage of free babysitting and activities that they hope are a better alternative than leaving their children home alone.

Do I sound cynical? Angry? Yes, I suppose I am but not in a self-righteous way. I am well aware of my own shortcomings in putting God in the #1 priority place in my life. This particular incident makes me see that as I point a finger at someone that three fingers are pointing back at me in a glaring way!

Summer is a time when spending time together as a family becomes a bit easier. There is no school. There are no band rehearsals and sports practices. It is a time for family to head to the beach or lake on the weekends. And I have no doubt in my beliefs that God wants us to spend time together as a family, laughing, encouraging each other, and building our relationships. It is His family, too. Which means to me that He would like to be a part of our time together. How hard would it be to share what God is doing in our lives while we eat our waffles and pancakes?

Why do the gospels show us that people of all ages, including children, loved hanging out with Jesus. What was it about how He spoke or what He spoke about that was interesting and relevant? Did the children and young people take their cue from their parents? Was what Jesus had to say come across as loving and encouraging instead of condemning and self-righteous?

What if instead of calling off Bible study and activities during the summer we made them fun?! As an example (and please do not hear this as a commercial!), there is a Bible study my husband and I published for women called It’s in the Bag by Kimberly Gordon for women that uses “stuff” that we have in our purses as a jumping off place for a study and discussion. Like lipstick – do beautiful words come out of your mouth or is it just a pretty color with ugly words? And next month, there will be one for guys, It’s in the Toolbox by Greg May. What happens when you leave your tools out in the rain and neglect to care for them? Is there some rust accumulating on your spirit due to neglect?

Have a bar-b-q or fish fry and invite the local Teen Challenge group or ask the local children’s hospital if you could have an evening of appreciation for all the nurses or maybe invite the local volunteer fire fighters. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just bring a double portion of baked beans! It’s not how much we spread out on the table for their stomachs but how much love we pour over their spirits!

Maybe have all the worship times without robes and ties and everyone wearing flip flops and sandals. And let the children sing and collect the offering and the youth preach! Why not? Jesus said our faith should be more like theirs so maybe we need to hear about their faith!!! So it’s not perfectly timed and polished like the “way we usually do it” – PRAISE GOD! I bet it will be better if we open our ears and hearts and get the prideful stick out of our backs.

God promised over and over and over that He does not sleep or slumber and He would not leave or forsake us. Let us not take that for granted and return that love by giving Him less because of our summer excuses.

Come Now is Time to Worship written and sung by Brian Doerksen

12 Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” John 8:12 (CEV)

Light is something that those of us who were born after the 1930′s pretty much take for granted. We haven’t had to do our homework by candlelight or stay off the roads at night because headlights were weak. We are used to flipping a light switch and a room is flooded with light. When storms cause temporary electrical outrages, we search drawers for flashlights and candle stubs.

While there were no such fancy “lights” in Jesus’ time, we all understand the importance of light. It is light that reveals what was once unclear and hidden in darkness. Jesus is light that brings me into a clear and true relationship with the Father. It is Jesus who has shown me how much the Father loves me and how He has always been a part of my life. When I walk with Jesus I am walking with Light that shows me the best path in this treacherous world.

And when the Light of Jesus is in me my life can be a beacon of light for others to come and receive their own true Light. My life, my witness can show others the power of Jesus’ Light in a life. The Light inside of me can certainly shine through my words that I share about Jesus in my life but it also shines through the way that I use my hands and feet in His service. One of the brightest “Jesus Lights” I have had in my life was a man named Chet. I never heard him speak great theological precepts but his life was a bright Light that blessed many young people and adults that came to know him around a campfire, in a boat, or while praising the LORD with music. It was all about praising his Father in heaven, not praising him.

Jesus’ words regarding light are as profound now in the 21^st century as they were in the 1^st century. It is also well understood as we need the wisdom of a life well-lived. The question that remains to trip us up is whether we will respond and actually live our lives after Jesus’ example and be a light that leads others to Life.

This Little Light of Mine written by Harry Dixon Loes (1920) and sung by The Lower Lights