Luke 1:76-79 “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

What a commission! And from birth, even. Once again prophecy is referenced, this time Isaiah 9:2, which was in the reading back on December 6th. The thing is, everyone without Christ is indeed in the dark, in any number of ways. Every Christian has the same com-mission, to “give people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” No human being can save another, in the sense of giving them eternal life, but we can let them know that eternal life is available through the forgiveness of sins that comes by faith in Jesus Christ. We are not “the rising sun” to shine on them in their darkness, but we can be “fiber optics,” so to speak, to shine that light on them to “guide [their] feet into the path of peace.” The NIV changed the wording to say “living,” but I like the original wording of “sitting in darkness.” People in despair often do exactly that, and apart from Christ there is indeed no hope of salvation.

I have recognized and accepted my commission to share the light of Christ with others, but it grieves me what a small percentage of Christians seem to have done so. As a pastor, I seek to let the light shine through me so that their eyes may be opened to understand that they too are to be “fiber optics,” and God can use them as well as He can use me to lead someone to salvation. The reason the Church had explosive growth in the 1st Century was, of course, because of the operation of the Holy Spirit, but it was also because every believer was a witness, in the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8) That same power is available to every believer today, but we have to be willing to accept it. That’s what I try to get across to the believers here, and actually to everyone who will listen to me, but often I feel like I’m butting my head against a wall. However, I’m not to give up, but understand both that my responsibility is to give light (inform), and that I’m not the source of the light in the first place. I am to be obedient, and to trust God with the outcome.

Father, thank You for giving me the message for Sunday! Help me prepare properly, without thinking I can accomplish anything on my own. Thank You for speaking through me this past Sunday even though I didn’t feel very good about how things went at the time. I was rather surprised when two people told me how the message had blessed them! Help me indeed be faithfully obedient whatever You tell me to do, whether it is to speak or be silent, do some act of kindness or leave someone alone. May I be an increasingly “high capacity light pipe,” for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!