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Be A Beacon

by Theresa Vogel Millward  
3/23/2015 / Christian Living

For many years, I was an avid camper. My husband and I would camp in the numerous campgrounds of California and the surrounding states. For our excursions, we always took several camping items with us, but the most essential piece of gear was our flashlight. The flashlight became especially important at night when we had to leave our warm sleeping bags to trek to the nearest bathroom.

Without the flashlight, we could be stumbling down the path and never know what unwanted surprise might be ahead. Not only did the flashlight illuminate our path, but its bright glow was also a deterrent to the furry creatures of the night. That flashlight was our beacon of hope. It lit our path and kept us from uncertain perils.

Like the flashlight, a lighthouse is like a beacon of hope. Its flashing signal light warns ships of dangerous rocks and other hazards. The broad shaft of light sweeps the murky waters revealing hidden dangers. These sentinels have been in use for thousands of years.

Lighthouses often fascinate me. They are tall, majestic structures, and their light gives comfort and hope to those in peril on the sea.

Many artists have painted pictures of lighthouses. One day as I was admiring a painting of a lighthouse, a sudden thought occurred to me: God's love is like a lighthouse. His light shines out in the midst of despair to those who seek God's light in Jesus Christ.

The Savior wants to be our beacon of hope. He offers us hope, comfort, and healing. In the Bible, Jesus declares that he is the light of the world. Whoever follows him will not walk in darkness, and he will provide the light for our life.

One of the most dramatic portrayals of movement from darkness into light appears in the Bible, the book of Acts, chapter 9. This event occurs on the road to Damascus, where Christ, as a light from heaven, confronts Saul, later known as Paul, and dramatically converts him to the Christian faith.

Saul had been doing everything in his power to eliminate anyone who belonged to "The Way," but God had other plans for him. Christ chose Saul to carry his message of salvation throughout the Roman world. He spent the rest of his life spreading the gospel of the Savior. He suffered immensely for a movement he had formerly been trying to destroy.

Christ doesn't want anyone to stumble. As we walk our path through life, he wants to shed light on the shadows that lurk along the way. He provides his radiant light in our lives. Some of us may have staggered into the bushes and struggled to free ourselves from their thorny grasp, and others are walking a path that is cloaked in darkness. Jesus desires to pull us out of the menacing murkiness and onto his floodlighted path of protection.

Those who already are walking in the Lord's light of salvation are called to be beacons. We are to tell others of Christ's love and forgiveness. As the song goes, "You can't be a beacon if your light don't shine."

Jesus is our flashlight, our lighthouse, our beacon. I envision Jesus standing on the seashore of life inviting people to follow him. Tenderly and consistently, he calls to each person to take shelter on his safe shore.

Copyright March, 2015. Theresa Vogel Millward, All Rights Reserved.

Author of Along Life's Path: Inspirational Poems, Songs, and Stories. Writes bi-weekly, faith-based blog posts at www.alonglifespath.com. To "encourage your heart and strengthen your faith."

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