My Mom said long ago that I have a wild imagination. I suppose that goes with being a creative, passionate, emotional person who is gifted with writing. I have ideas, and thoughts, that don’t always fit neatly and cleanly into the world around me. Which is how I suppose at around 4 am after spending a bit of time with the Lord including studying the Bible that as I tried to fall back asleep this thought came to me. I want to be a firefly. Sometimes my wildest ideas – and messages – come when I least expect it. Like now. 4:19 am, and in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit I climbed out of my hotel bed and came to my computer to write this.
I caught fireflies as a child. Can’t recall the details. Only that in the dark of the night, the fireflies were so beautifully and wonderfully bright. I suppose we stuck them in plastic bags or containers. I want to be a wild and free firefly. I don’t want to be stuck in a container. I want to fly, fly, fly. Now please let me explain.
We are living in an ever-darkening world that per God and the Bible will one day burn up and be gone. And Jesus’ followers will be with the Lord forever in heaven. And those who lived in rebellion against God and never repented, believed in Jesus as Lord and in His death and resurrection, and turned their lives over to God and His ways will go to hell and the lake of fire to spend eternity in torment away from God.
Confession. I don’t really want to be a firefly. But I want to be a light in an ever-darkening world. I want to shine with the love and light of Jesus. When people don’t know what to do, and where to turn, and how to get through life, and are lost, and broken, hurting and down, in any kind of need, need most especially to know how to spend forever with God, need prayer and encouragement, are seeking hope and the truth about God, want peace and joy and don’t know how to find it, need healing and comfort, want to know who Jesus is, need to hear the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ, etc., I want them to see Christ in me and through me.
I want endless opportunities to tell them about Him. And to love and serve them in His name. And to shine with His light as I do. I want my heart, my words, my actions, my work, my every breath to reflect the love and light of my beloved Jesus, the one true God, Savior of the world, Lord of Lords, King of Kings.
In the dark of the night of the hard times in which we live, and oh, I am afraid they will get much, much harder given the world’s rebellion against God, I want to be a firefly in the dark of the night.
Fireflies are tiny in the grand scheme of things. But compared to the darkness all around them, their light is so very bright. It beckons. It attracts. It invites. It draws the eyes.
Now let me be clear. I don’t want to flicker as if I recall fireflies do. I want my light to be so strong, and I want people to be drawn to the light of the world through me, to the light of life, to Jesus.
Friend, let you and I who follow Jesus, let our lights shine for the Lord! Let our lights bless and encourage others and give them hope. Let our lights point people to God. Let our lights stand out magnificently by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in His followers in an evil world. Let us live righteously in the eyes of God almighty. And let us remember never to take any glory for ourselves when people see the light in us. Let us remember to humbly give all the glory to the one who is worthy of all love, praise, honor, worship, obedience, and glory forever. Jesus the Christ. Hallelujah, AMEN!
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10 NKJV
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 NKJV
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”” John 8:12 NKJV