This Little Light of Mine Or Oops?

"And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet him."

Matthew 26:6

I started out looking for another scripture, but got the chapter and verse reversed, but was spot on for what the Lord was placing in my heart. Have you ever done things like that?

This parable is about the ten virgins that went to the bridal party, all very excited to be in attendance. Then five of them began to run out of oil for their lamps and had to leave, thereby missing the bridegroom's entrance. That meant they couldn't gain re-entry into the party. My friends, that just sounds like life sometimes, doesn't it.

It reminds me of those who get dressed and go to church on Sunday, but run out of spiritual energy to really listen and get the flame of God illuminating their heart and mind. Sometimes it is like going to work not really expecting anything to happen, and it doesn't because our lamps are not prepared to see anything of value.

Lanterns are taken with the expectation that when it gets dark, and the way is not clear, that there will be a light that lights the path or room so that understanding and participation can be enjoyed by all. Is your lantern available today for that time when it might get dark and there is nothing but you and others without a light of any sort.

Will you be able to light the lantern that God has wanted to put in your hands fully filled with His light to make a difference to others? If not, take a few moments and spend some time at His filling station, offer up a prayer seeking His fullness. Be a light through Christ for someone else.
But make sure you have entrance into the ultimate party in heaven--not just a light of some sort on earth.

Love ya!

A Fiery Flame For His Service,
Susan Storm Smith

Refineries Are Dirty Places

"But who can withstand the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap."

Malachi 3:2

Have you ever thought about what a refinery really looks like? The other day as I was reading my Bible and pondering what the process was like of taking gold or even clay and making a vessel usable. We expect the beginning process to have some dirt and mess associated with it, but have you ever imagined that even at the end of the exacting process there are still some messes made?

In 8th grade art class we had a teacher that really enjoyed his job and his artistic abilities. He desired to teach us to explore and expand our love of the different textures, mediums, and color. One of my favorite projects was with the use of copper. We were instructed to draw or trace a picture onto the flat shiny copper. Then we placed it in an acid tray which turned the shiny copper coal black. This is the same process we find ourselves in the day-to-day experiences of life. Starting out shiny and new, etched by the sands of time into a character and personality. But life has a way of getting us dirty and out of focus.

In the art class we took the dark and ugly piece of cooper, and with steel wool started to lightly scrape the black off the areas we desired the shiny light copper to be exposed. What a great experience when the first hint of this process actually working. Because we were not to put a lot of pressure on the copper with the scouring material, the layers were taken off. How good it is to know that our Lord will not put too much pressure on us as he scours the rust and decay from our lives as we submit to his artistic skill in developing us.

And when we look at the table and floor of our cleansing, we find the same condition of an earthly refinery, dirt and scrapings that are discarded no longer part of the yielded and refined vessel.

Lord, thank you for taking off the darkness from my life in layers so that I am not bruised and harmed, but loved and appreciated for the creation you have etched in your forever eye and heart for me to become. I submit to you to become the light and beauty of your created purpose.

A Fiery Flame For His Service,
Susan Storm Smith