I live in a part of the country where we have millions of little fireflies shining their light in our fields. For you poor deprived souls living in the Western US, I’ve included a local PBS video so you can see what you’re missing out on (starts talking about fireflies about 2:00 in).
As a kid growing up I used to do what most other kids I knew did, I caught these fireflies and put them in a glass jar and make my own firefly lantern.
As summer arrived for these amazing little “lightning bugs” to put on their evening light show for another summer season, it got me to thinking…
We’ve got glory living in us.
Like the firefly, we’re not reflecting light from outside of ourselves. We’ve got God’s light glowing in us! Glow-ray! (Sorry, had to say it!) It’s not our light, it’s HIS light, and He chose you and me to shine it forth.
God is saying, “let there be light!” once again. But this time He’s shining His creation light in our hearts with the revelation of Jesus Christ. Here’s how Paul said it (bold-type added):
“God once said, “Let light shine out of the darkness!” And this is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts to let us know that his own divine greatness is seen in the face of Christ.” (2 Cor.4:6 ERV)
We have this treasure in our frail bodies—we are God’s amazing grace on display, proof positive that His glory can be seen in this world once again, but now it’s shining through us!
“We have this treasure from God, but we are only like clay jars that hold the treasure. This is to show that the amazing power we have is from God, not from us.” (2 Cor.4:7 ERV)
Dear one in Christ, do you understand that you have the Hope of the Nations vibrantly shining inside of you? You are the light of the world because Jesus is the Light of the world, and He lives in you (Matt.5:14; John 8:12).
This is not some cute little rhyme, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” No, it’s more like, this GLORIOUS light of Christ that’s shining out of me is making history!
Why would God do such a crazy, wonderful thing? He does so because of love! He wants us to participate in His glory and goodness ourselves, and then put in on display for the dark and orphan-hearted world to see (bold-type added):
“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (John 17:21-23 NKJV)
This is evangelism, according to Jesus. Shining His light so that the whole world can see it, and inviting them to this Great Dance in the Father’s embrace in Christ.
How do they see this glory? By our love for one another in the unity of the Spirit (see also John 13:35; Eph.4:3, 13).
This unifying “love-fest” comes from the revelation that we belong to each other, in union with Christ in God, as He is one with the Father….“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us.” This is not just poetic wishful thinking. It’s reality. The prayer is for us to realize that it’s already true.
And when does this light shine brightest? Of course, when it gets dark out!
Are you worried about how dark the world is getting? Don’t be, it only makes His glory shine even brighter!
I love how the Living Bible translates Isaiah 60:1-3 (bold-type added)…
“Arise, my people! Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from you. Darkness as black as night shall cover all the peoples of the earth, but the glory of the Lord will shine from you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see the glory of the Lord upon you.” (Isa.60:1-3 TLB)
Did you catch what God is prophetically saying here? You have glory “streaming from you!” This is the time for His glory to shine from you!
It’s time to cast off fear and hopelessness. Hope lives in you and glory is streaming out of you. I believe what God is telling us through these amazing luminescent creatures is that we should be who we were destined to be and shine it forth!
In My Father's House 
Thanks Mel for a profoundly simple but powerful truth. It is so easy to get in the “what about” and “why not” spiral. The yeah buts seem to echo more in the darkness than on the mountaintop in the bright sunshine. I knew fireflies as a child in TN and VA. I do miss the gentle rhythm of their silent light music. What memories. So when I get stuck on a “but I thought” moment I can remember the blazing image of a peaceful “lightning bug.” Then maybe I’ll stop looking at my but and thinking with my unrenewed mind. Come on! Christ in me the hope of glory with the mind of Christ and joined to the Spirit of Christ?!?! Yay God!
“Then maybe I’ll stop looking at my but and thinking with my unrenewed mind.”
Amen, brother. It is easy to forget who we are when we’re looking in the wrong direction. We have a glorious but! “BUT God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” 🙂 Blessings.
Love this – what a great picture! As a Cali girl I’ve never actually seen a lightening bug (maybe someday 😃) but this is such a good analogy. I so agree – time to “arise and SHINE”! I’ve been chewing on that verse in Isaiah for ages (most days I even have it hanging around my neck as a reminder – I have a necklace from Israel with the verse in Hebrew). I really think, maybe, we’re starting to get it … a little 😉 So grateful to at least be on the journey! Blessings!