Copyright  ©  2014  Wildwood  Calvary  Chapel    Scripture  taken  from  the  New  King  James  Version.    Copyright  ©  1979,  1980,  1982  by  Thomas  Nelson,  Inc.    Used  by  permission.  All  rights  reserved.      

We Be The Light

My life prior to Christ largely revolved around snowboarding and the subculture therein. Six months out of the year, for three consecutive years, I would spend my days in Big Bear working on the hill as a snowmaker, to make riding my snowboard every single chance I got possible. I quickly became so immersed in this culture that I became the poster child for the hippie-gypsy snowboard dude, and this became the identity that I sought. For the next two years I committed my heart and life to Jesus and I abstained from strapping into a snowboard after receiving word from the Lord to do so. I removed myself entirely and sought to find my joy and identity in the Lord as opposed to being found in being a good rider. However, this time last year, I began to receive word from the Lord that He was about to bring snowboarding back into my life, which He did, praise the Lord! After a two-year hiatus from the mountain, upon my return as a Jesus loving individual, a whole lot had changed for me. I experienced time and again chairlift rides with old friends that were literally at a loss for words in light of what has transpired in my life. I remember the Lord telling me at the beginning of the winter season last year, that my job was to just simply be the light. He said it wasn’t my position to point out the issues of drug and alcohol use or the wrong in sexual promiscuity in people’s lives. He simply called me to be the light in the darkness that is in the snowboard culture. I have yet to see one of my old friends find life and liberty in Christ, but I hold fast to the fact that God is fighting for them so much more than I ever could! I see shimmers of light on the horizon as they begin to act different in my presence, abstaining from foul language and crude talk. In their minds they’re simply being “respectful,” but I know it’s the conviction that is taking place as God’s Holy Spirit is prompting their hearts! Check this out; I believe this is what the Apostle Paul was getting at in his letter to the Ephesian church. He writes, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them… But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.” (Ephesians 5:11, 13). Sure, having no fellowship with darkness is a vital need in the life of a believer, but Paul’s admonition to expose the darkness as light is beautiful in and of itself. This brings to mind the famous words of Jesus in Matthew 5:16, from the sermon on the mount, where He said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

   Copyright  ©  2014  Wildwood  Calvary  Chapel      Scripture  taken  from  the  New  King  James  Version.    Copyright  ©  1979,  1980,  1982  by  Thomas  Nelson,  Inc.    Used  by  permission.  All  rights  reserved.    

The reality is that those of us who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ now have the Light of the world dwelling inside our hearts. We are called the light of the world whose lights are to shine bright vicariously through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. We are not called and commissioned by God to become like blood hounds, sniffing out sin so as to eradicate it. This was the work of the cross, God’s victory over sin and death. My prayer for us today is that we will grab a hold of the holy calling that has been placed upon our lives from heaven and start living as the light that our King says we are! Those we love and care for who are stranded in sin or separated from Christ entirely, are looking into our lives. I say we let them see the light!

 

   Zach  Hafner