There are some who question why some churches are big and ornate. It is because we believe that a church is the House of the Lord. In today’s first reading from Ezra 1, King Cyrus of Persia orders all who are part of God’s people to go up to Jerusalem and begin building the house of the Lord there.
In the Gospel reading from Luke 8, Jesus says, “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.” As Christians, we must let the light of Christ shine out from us!
Doesn’t that part about no secrets make you a little uncomfortable? It should. I think we all have secrets. If nothing else, those wicked thoughts that we think that no one else can hear or know. But with God, all things in time will be laid bare. All the things that we have said and done and thought will all come to light in the light of Jesus. Oh, we may be able to hide them from the people around us. (And by the way, we’re not really as good at that as we think we are.) But eventually, it all must come out. Scary, huh? But here’s the good news. Even when all that nasty stuff is brought into the light, God will still love us. Hallelujah!
Father, we’re so sorry for those things we try to hide even from you. Help us to live our lives in the light, not keeping things hidden in the darkness. Amen.
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