Back in July, John spoke on us being light-emitting disciples; this morning, Garry reminded us that we need to be streetlights for God!
This weekend, we have been thinking especially about India because of the visit from Fredrick and Reeba. India is a vast country of 1.2 billion people, with 79.8% of the population Hindu. The Hindu religion has a strong caste system, with the Brahmin at the top of the system and the Dalits (the ‘untouchables’) at the bottom of this system. There is much spiritual hunger in India, but people need the truth of the gospel to satisfy that hunger. Just as Paul introduced the Athenians to the ‘unknown god’ they worshipped (see Acts 17:22-23), Hindus and those following other religions in India need to be introduced to Jesus.
Ps 119:18 asks that God will open our eyes to see the wonderful things that are in His law; Ps 119:130 reminds us that the unfolding of God’s word gives light. Light reveals and illuminates truth, and people’s religious yearnings are an attempt to make sense of the reality they perceive around them. God’s Word is a light and a lamp (Ps 119:105) and we need to share this light with others so that those who are in darkness may be brought into the light (see Is 42:1-6, Is 9:1-2, Rom 10:14-15).
Our lives are called to be living stories of God’s grace; Peter urges us to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope we have when asked (1 Pet 3:15) and God wants us to ‘live and tell’ His story with gentleness and respect. We gather together in church meetings, but then we are ‘scattered’ in our daily lives, rather like street lights are not clumped together but are spaced out, nonetheless giving illumination to the road.
Whether we are in the UK or in India, our role is to be the light of the world, allowing God’s light to shine in and through us so that others may be brought into a knowledge of Him. India may seem very different to the UK which is far more secular in its outlook, but the task of the church remains the same, wherever it may be. We are called to ‘live and tell’ God’s story, so that His light may illuminate the darkness and bring people to saving grace.