SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH DEVOTIONAL FOR CHILDREN: “We Are The Lights”

*DAILY BREAD – A DEVOTIONAL FOR CHILDREN*

EASTERN NIGERIA UNION CONFERENCE CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES

*THEME* : I WILL GO

Monday, August 23, 2021

Topic: We are the Lights

“ _You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5:13-16
_
Years ago, in a small town, one man’s job was to watch the railroad crossing. When a train would approach at night, he was to wave a lantern to warn those driving on the narrow road that a train was approaching and to stop until it passed by. One particular night, the train was coming down the tracks as usual and the man took his place to warn any oncoming cars. He could see a car in the distance approaching the railroad tracks, so he began to wave his lantern in the moonlit sky. The car continued to come, so the man waved the lantern even more briskly. The train was only seconds away from the crossing. The car was not even slowing down. The man could not believe it, so he waved the lantern even harder. Still the car came! The car was almost to the track and the train was about to pass. The man could not stand in the middle of the road any longer. Again, he frantically waved his lantern and the car continued to come at full speed. Finally, the man jumped out of the way of the car as it sped by and was hit by the train on the tracks. Everyone in the car was killed.
At the investigation, the grief-stricken man explained to the authorities how he tried to warn the oncoming vehicle, but it would not stop. The officer in charge said to the man at the crossing, “sir, you waved your lantern…but you forgot to light it!

Jesus calls all of us to be a light of the world. It is our job to take the good news of the gospel to everyone we can with our words and actions. But it does no good try to shine on our own…if the light within us is not shining. Without the light of Christ, we will have a little impact.

Would those who know you describe you as being filled with God’s Light…would they use words like: goodness, righteousness, and truth?
Jesus says in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” So, Jesus is the light (and light always drowns out darkness)….His light shines into us and through us to others…as we reflect His light to the world. Go shine!

*Song*
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Everywhere I go
I’m gonna let it shine
Everywhere I go
I’m gonna let it shine
Everywhere I go
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

*Prayer*
Dear Jesus, l know you did not come to turn on a light…but to be THE LIGHT! Help me not to hide in the darkness of my sin but live in the Light of Your love, Mercy, Grace, and forgiveness that I may go shine for all to see and a Bible for someone to read! Amen