Trim Your Wick...Fill Your Oil...Let God's Light Shine Continually

Leviticus 24:2-4 -  “Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually. Outside the veil of the Testimony, in the tabernacle of meeting, Aaron shall be in charge of it from evening until morning before the Lord continually; it shall be a statute forever in your generations. He shall be in charge of the lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord continually.

The lampstand in the tabernacle was its only source of light. The wick had to be trimmed each morning and evening…and it also had to be replenished with oil.  The oil the Children of Israel gave to the priests to maintain this lamp was very valuable…for they only had what they had brought with them until God brought them into the promised land.

We may not need to keep a tabernacle light burning continually anymore…but light is just as important to our existence as it was back then. We need light to grow the plants that form the base of our food system. We also need Christ’s light to provide us any hope of our future. Jesus was careful to include in one of his teaching sermons these words found in Matthew 5:14-16.  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.

What a great reminder that the light Jesus puts inside us when he saves us from our sin is meant to be shared with others. As Jesus pronounced in John 8:12…Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” That light is not to be kept private…or hidden from others…but shared so many more can see the truth God’s light provides for the soul.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you placed inside me the same light that you showed to the world when you were here… when you saved me.  Forgive me for the times that I don’t trim my wick…or keep my supply of oil full.  Help me to be more aware of how brightly I am shining to the world…so that more people may see you reflected in the things I do and say...continually.  Amen.