You are true fire.

Nothing compares
to the atmosphere
of your light.

I’d rather walk in the glow
of your love
moment by moment,
blind to the distance beyond –
than see for miles
by artificial light.

You are a filter of mercy,
a cocoon of grace,
an illumination worthy
of my deepest commitment.

You show us everything we need to see at the perfect time,
and you make the journey more beautiful
than I ever could have dreamed of.

John 12:46 “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”

Song of Songs 8 6-7 Passion Translation: Fasten me upon your heart as a seal of fire forevermore. This living, consuming flame will seal you as my prisoner of love. My passion is stronger than the chains of death and the grave, all-consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God. Place this fierce, unrelenting fire over your entire being. Rivers of pain and persecution will never extinguish this flame. Endless floods will be unable to quench this raging fire that burns within you. Everything will be consumed. It will stop at nothing as you yield everything to this furious fire until it won’t even seem to you like a sacrifice anymore.“

What does it mean to walk by the light of faith?

Last week, our power suddenly went out. Even while our teenagers were busy lamenting about the lack of technology, my three-year-old daughter and I were entranced by the magic of life by candlelight. “It’s like a birthday party,” she said. I just loved the quiet simplicity of fumbling around for candles and the adventure of planning our strategy to manage through a cold night if power didn’t come back right away.

While softly treading through the hallways by candlelight on a hunt for my little pony pajamas, the power suddenly came back on. Music started playing, fans started buzzing, and I’m pretty sure the electric company started celebrating how much revenue they’d be able to collect from us. After the peaceful magical atmosphere of candlelight, electricity felt obnoxious to me. Even though a part of me was glad to have our furnace back and to stop worrying about cats catching their tails on fire, another part of me was deeply disappointed.

Now I could zip around busily doing laundry and preparing for the next day like usual, but something was missing – the magic of candlelight.

I felt like God was nudging me to remember the magic of walking by HIS LIGHT, which I sincerely try to do. Walking with Jesus isn’t easy, but it’s magical and beautiful. He creates an atmosphere of mercy, peace and purpose. Yes, it is harder to work toward holiness, listen for Spirit promptings and be willing to to do whatever he tells us even when it doesn’t make sense or profoundly challenges us. I have certainly endured some “cold nights” on my walk with the Lord. But having experienced the magic of Christ’s presence in my life, the artificial lights of the world’s superficial standards feel obnoxious to me. I am grateful for the extent I am able to wholeheartedly embrace a life of faith and praying to live in deeper surrender to Christ’s holy light, regardless of challenges inherent in that choice.

How are you personally being called to walk by Christ’s light, rather than the more superficial lights of the world? Comment below, and I’ll be delighted to keep you in my prayers.

Lord help us walk by the beauty of your light one step at a time, trusting in your guidance always! Give our loved ones the grace to experience the grace, awe, wonder and beauty of walking by Your light, so they’ll never settle for anything less. Illuminate any dark areas inside our hearts and mind, which are filled with unbelief or our own will, which is never as beautiful as yours. Help us allow more of Your light in and around us. Bless us with the grace to follow you always. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.