It was only 4:45 a.m., but I was up and out in the backyard trimming back rampant wild roses. As I clipped away, I was glad to be able to make good use of the daylight hours, as I know that here in the north, the darkness will soon be upon us again, and this time of day will no longer be bright.

These thoughts brought to my mind these Scripture verses:

John 9:4-5 – As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (NIV)

Jesus' recognized the fact that His night was coming and that He must be diligent to be about His Father's business while He still had the time. He was very much aware of the world's darkness and its need for the light of His truth.

Likewise, Jesus says to us, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14a NIV). And the apostle Paul states:

2 Corinthians 5:17-20a – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. (NIV)

As we listen to the daily news, I believe that there are very few of us who would not agree that we are living in an age when the darkness is coming fast upon us. It is an age that desperately needs the light of His truth. And we, His people, who are the light of the world and who have been commissioned with the task of reconciling men and women to Christ through the message of reconciliation, must, as the apostle Peter wrote, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15b NIV)

Today, I fought the battle of the encroaching wild growth in my yard, amidst the early morning light, while it still lasts, for soon it will be too late to do such work. The time will be over. My time on this earth will soon be over as well. The darkness of age begins to creep in more and more. Likewise, it is the same for each and every one of us, for we begin to die the moment that we begin to live. May we, therefore, remember that as long as it is day, we must do the work of Him Who called us to be the light of the world, Christ's ambassadors, for the night is coming, when no one can work.

Prayer: Father God, You have blessed and commissioned us with an awesome task, a task which we cannot accomplish on our own, but only through Your great and wondrous power within us. Fill us anew this day with the glory of Your Holy Spirit, that indeed, our light may shine brightly with the love of Christ, Who has the power to draw everyone unto Himself. In His name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
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