May your WHOLE LIFE be radiant ...

I was reading from Luke's gospel this morning and came across such a great passage. By now you know I have a high interest in lighthouses ~ that I love to photograph them and make cards out of them, etc. I love them for many reasons, one of which is because they are such a clear picture of the spiritual truth of light versus darkness. As I read through my Bible this year, I was really impacted by how many verses contain this illustration, and it is very beautiful to me.

When we were in Israel in 2004, we visited on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee a place by the name of Qatzrin. It was a small village that had been excavated and restored to look like a first century town -- very much like one that Jesus would have been familiar with. This first picture is a wall, with a lampstand on it. The very dark stains are from the oil that burns in the lamp. See how the lampstand is up high on the wall? When the lamp was lit, it would light up the whole room.
The next picture is another room in a typical house. The black bag-like thing is a wineskin.
"No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, it is put on a lampstand to give light to all who enter the room. Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not really darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then YOUR WHOLE LIFE WILL BE RADIANT, as though a floodlight is shining on you." LUKE 11:33-36
The picture above is a first century lamp. Olive oil would be poured inside, a small wick inserted into the opening at the end and then lit ...

I read more of chapter 11 of Luke to see what context Jesus spoke these wonderful words about light and darkness. Doesn't He give quite a warning when He says to "make sure that the light we think we have is not really darkness?" Wouldn't that be so tragic? That's exactly what the religious leaders of Jesus' day were doing and Jesus called them down for it. So I have to ask myself -- where are my "dark corners"? Jesus is clearly saying that He wants all of me, every little thing I do and say and think about ... everything I own, everyone I love ... everything is His! I want MY WHOLE LIFE TO BE RADIANT, don't you? No dark corners! Wouldn't that be awesome? Jesus also said, "You are the light of the world ... don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Matthew 5:14-16

Let's have 2008 be a year where our whole lives are radiant! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!