Love-Light

All glory, honor, and power to our Heavenly Father.  Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes to see the depth of all these truths come together so I can share with my fellow brothers and sisters, in the hopes of encouraging their faith through your work in my life. 

A few weeks ago, I had a dear friend of mine pass away.  She was very musical...a beautiful piano player.  She left behind a legacy to those around her that was highlighted numerous times during her funeral service...Love.  She wrote a short song called "Love-Light." 

This song was a prayer...a prayer for God's light to shine through us day by day.  My friend called this light from Jesus "Love Light"  because through Him loving us, we can love others with a love that only He can provide for us...a love that will shoot out in all darkness.  Within the past few weeks at my work, I have seen how after this lady's passing away, God has morphed my life into a deeper boldness to share the light that dwells inside of me.  Everyone remembered her for her Love-Light.  She adopted so many spiritual brothers, sisters, children, and grandchildren into her life because of this. 

When I was a senior in high school, and was preparing my senior pictures in a slide show format, I picked a song called "Legacy" to play with my pictures.  

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy 

My friend left this legacy, and I am encouraged all the more to live for my funeral today.  Now...let me show you what God says about this kind of love...

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Psalm 63:3 
Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.  


My friend was pretty much a superhero.  She had this love radiating throughout her into everyone!  We all have struggles, strongholds that tie us down.  Sometimes we don't even realize it's a stronghold that has kept us from allowing our true "power" to burst from us. 

The best way I can describe this is through a visual given to me...prepare your imaginations:
 
You are standing on a porch...staring at a door, probably of your own choosing mind you.  This single door, has been the main focus of all your prayers, your thoughts, actions...sure once in a while you'll stand aside and glance toward another door briefly...but you're stubborn in waiting for this door to open.  Pretty soon, you're kicked off the porch.  Now, since you are kicked off that porch, you see so many other doors that need that focus and attention...and these doors are open for you.  You see how the Love-Light in your soul has touched individuals in those open doors.  It shines more, and more doors open....doors you don't even realize were there (because you weren't looking). That Light peeks into more than one area, because your focus has branched out beyond a single door that won't open.  You don't try to focus it in one place, but allow God's love to radiate into more lives by taking action in doing so.  A light won't shine in a closed door...and in Isaiah 22:22 the only one that can open and close a door is God.  You can't make people see the light of Jesus, only Jesus can.  He sends us out to share the Light, but whether the door is open or not depends on if they will actually see the Light you show them. 

It is at this point that I realize how my friend was able to touch so many people...she loved everyone and sought to do so...not just one direction.  Not just one door.  She looked for open doors that God picked for her and Love-Light poured out.  I want to live this legacy.  I want to love everyone.  She had a love only Jesus could give her, and I desire to understand that more and more.  When it is time for the celebration of my life, I pray that I can leave this legacy for someone to claim as his/her own as she did for me. 

Dear Lord, remind me that only you can open and close doors in my life, and only in those open doors will your love-light radiate in.  I pray for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ...that you will reveal to them doors of opportunity to share your Love-Light.  Give me strength to walk away from the closed doors and to stay away until, by your power and will, those doors open in their time.