Out of the Shadows

“8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8-10, NIV)


We were once darkness. The Apostle Paul said we were “darkness” not we were in darkness. We were darkness because we did things that are not pleasing to God.

But through the grace of God, we have been saved from darkness and enter into God’s marvellous light. We are free from the bondage of sin and shame.

We now live a life bearing the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Reflection Question:

Is there a hidden habit or attitude that God is inviting me to bring to Him this Lent so that my life reflect Christ’s light to others around me?

Prayer
Lord, you have called me out of darkness into your marvellous light.
Help me to live each day in what is good, right, and true.
Reveal to me what is not pleasing to You, and give me courage to break away from these habitual sins. Mould me so that others may see Your light through me. Amen.

God’s Guiding Light

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105

In this season of Lent, we are invited to remove the distractions that clutter our lives and refocus our attention—and our gaze—upon God. One of the primary ways we do this is through the intentional reading of Scripture.


The Psalmist describes God’s Word as a “lamp to our feet.” In the ancient world, this was often a small clay oil lamp, providing just enough light to take the very next step without tripping over a stone or slipping into a ditch. It didn’t illuminate the whole path; it illuminated the now.

During Lent, we come face to face with our mortality, our sins, and the “wilderness” of our souls. But Psalm 119 assures us that we do not need to see the entire destination of our journey; God is with us every step of the way. As pilgrims in this world walking toward Heaven day by day, God’s Word lights our immediate path.


When we dwell in the Word, John Wesley taught that we are “searching the Scriptures” to find Christ. Each verse we carry in our hearts acts as a small flame, guiding our character, our conduct, our speech, and our daily decisions. This Lent, when we feel we are in a dark place or our spark for God feels dim, let us be reminded that God’s Word is our constant guide, lighting the way Home.

Reflection Question
In what way does Scripture challenge your current lifestyle?

A Lenten Prayer
Gracious God, we thank You that You do not leave us to stumble in the dark. In this season of reflection, may Your Word be more than just ink on a page; let it be a burning light that guides our feet toward justice, mercy, and a humble walk with You. Through Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, Amen.

Living in the Light

1 John 1:5-9, “5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[a] sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Light shines.


John tells us that God is light. Not that God has light. Not that God creates light. But that His very nature is light: holiness, righteousness, truth, and love.


John reminds us that if we confess our sins, we will be forgiven and cleansed. Not because we are worthy, but because God is faithful. If we hide our sin or continue sinning, we will deepen the darkness. We are children of the light. We no longer belong to fear, shame or hidden sin. As we walk in the light, we reflect God’s light to the world.

Reflection:

• Where in my life am I tempted to “hide” my sin?


• What specific attitudes, words, or actions need to be brought into God’s light today?


• What fear keeps me from confessing fully?


• Do I truly believe God Who is faithful will forgive me?


• What practical step would help me walk more consistently in the light?

God’s Word: A Lamp for our Feet and A Light to our Path

Have you ever walked in such dark places that you couldn’t go too far because it was too dark to see the step ahead of you?
Every step had to be taken carefully because we couldn’t see far in front of us.

I remember years ago, when we went to the longhouses at night for services, there were no streetlights. The stretch of road was long and dark. It was also rocky, with pebbles and stones of various sizes. The road was uneven, with holes in certain parts.

That was before we had torchlights in our handphones. We would move in a group and had to stay close to one another because the person in front of us was carrying a torchlight. If we lagged too far behind, we wouldn’t have enough light to see what was ahead.
We needed light so we wouldn’t stumble and fall, and to avoid unnecessary injuries in the dark.
We needed light to illuminate our path.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
(Psalm 119:105)

We are all on this journey called life. There are ups and downs. Sometimes, we walk through swampy areas or on rocky, uncomfortable paths.
At times, we go through seasons of deep challenge and discouragement—literally walking through the valley of the shadow of death due to illness or loss.
Sometimes, we stand at a crossroad, with two paths ahead leading in different directions. These moments come with difficult decisions that can change our lives.

And sometimes, everything feels smooth sailing—like the skies are clear and the sun is shining.

Life is unpredictable. Life is uncertain.
We don’t know what lies ahead.
We don’t know what will happen tomorrow.

But as one song comforts us:
We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds tomorrow.

Through every season of life, God is guiding us.
He does not want us to remain in the dark.
He guides us with His Word.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword,
it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;
it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
(Hebrews 4:12)

God’s Word is the standard in our lives. It does not change.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
(2 Timothy 3:16–17)

There are four purposes of God’s Word:

  1. Teaching – to instruct us in truth.
  2. Rebuking – to expose our sins so we recognize our wrongs.
  3. Correcting – to show us what is right in God’s eyes.
  4. Training in righteousness – to guide us so that our lives are holy and pleasing to God.

God’s Word teaches and trains us so that we can serve Him effectively.


A Note on Psalm 119:

Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the Bible. It is an acrostic poem based on the Hebrew alphabet.
It follows the order of the Hebrew letters, starting with Aleph (א) — the first letter — followed by:

  1. Aleph (א) — Verses 1–8
  2. Beth (ב) — Verses 9–16
  3. Gimel (ג) — Verses 17–24
  4. Daleth (ד) — Verses 25–32
  5. Nun (נ) — Verses 105–112

Our focus this morning begins with “Nun,” the 14th section of the psalm.

Each of the eight verses in this section begins with the Hebrew letter Nun (נ) — a beautiful part of the poem’s structure.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
(Psalm 119:105)

Psalm 119 is a beautiful love response to God, expressing delight in His Word.
Almost every verse (except a few) refers to God’s Word, law, or commandments.

Among these verses appears a beautiful image: lamp and light.


Lamp vs. Spotlight:

God’s Word is described as a “lamp”—not a spotlight.
It does not shine like a stadium light that illuminates everything at once.

In ancient times, lamps were small clay bowls with oil and a wick. They provided just enough light for one step at a time.

God is telling us:
You don’t need to know the whole picture.
Just trust Him step by step.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet…”
Not a searchlight into the distance, but a gentle glow that shows the next step.

When we go hiking, we want to look at a map to feel safe. But in life, God doesn’t give us a map.
He gives us Himself.
He calls us to trust in Him, not in a plan.

It’s like having a tour guide. We can feel safe and secure knowing He’s leading.


Trusting the Tour Guide:

When we travel, especially to a new place or foreign country, many of us prefer joining a tour group.
We like that everything is planned by the tour guide:
Where we stay, what we eat, where we go.

We just follow the itinerary.
We don’t worry.
We trust the guide.

Sometimes, the tour guide changes the plan due to the weather or other reasons. We may grumble or feel disappointed.
But we trust that the guide knows best — that he knows the location and circumstances well enough to keep us safe.

We feel safe.

We don’t waste time stressing over meals, schedules, or transport.
The guide handles it all — even in emergencies.

We just follow the guide.


Now think about this:
If we can trust a tour guide, a stranger doing his job for profit — why can’t we trust God, our loving Heavenly Father?

Just because we can’t see Him with our physical eyes doesn’t mean He’s not trustworthy.
The tour guide does it for money.
God cares for us out of love.


Conclusion:

God’s grace is sufficient for every step of our journey.
We won’t know all the details or what the future holds.

But we can know the One who holds our future.

We simply need to trust Him and hold His hand—step by step.

God gives us:

  • Daily guidance
  • Daily provision
  • Daily strength

He is with us every step of the way.
He will never forget us.

First Advent 2022

Advent is a 4-week of anticipation leading up to Christmas as Jesus was born into this world for us. It is also a time of waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

On the First Advent, we light the first candle, which is the purple candle (purple symbolises repentance and prayer). Jesus Christ, the Light of the World has come. He came to give us Hope.

The light of Christ shines in us and through us

Paul wrote to the Christians at Thessalonica, encouraging them in their faith and walking in holiness.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. 11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Which words speak to you in this passage? May be you caught the words such as joy, prayer, faith, presence of God, love, strengthen your hearts and holy in the presence of God.  

Apostle Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians and also the 2 Thessalonians to the Christians at the church at Thessalonica. Paul established this church during his second missionary journey (about AD 51).

In Acts, Luke mentioned how Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica, and founded the church. They led to the Thessalonians’ conversion to Christ (Acts 17:1-15). Thessalonica is a city that still exists today but it is now called Thessaloniki. It was one of the very few cities that survived from the New Testament era. Today, it is still an important industrial and commercial city in the modern day Greece. 

Paul wrote this letter to encourage these young Christians to reassure them of God’s love for them. In this letter, Paul thanked God for their strong faith and their good reputations (1:1-10). Paul mentioned that it was him and his companions who brought the Gospel to them (2:1-12) and they were responsive to the Gospel (2:13-16).Paul longed to see them again (2:17-20). Since he was not able to see them that soon, he had sent Timothy to encourage them in their faith (3:1-13).

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul talked about a few things, about our conduct and the life we have as:

  • Live holy lives by avoiding sexual immorality (4:1-8)
  • Love each other (4:9-10)
  • Live as good citizens in this world (4:11,12)
  • Comfort of the hope we have in Christ (4:13-18)
  • New life in Christ (5:1-11)

1 Thessalonians was also a letter that talked about the second coming of Jesus. We had to prepare for the second coming: warn the idle (5:14), encourage the timid (5:14), be patient with everyone (5:14), be kind to everyone (5:15), be joyful always (5:16), pray continually (5:17), give thanks (5:18), test everything that is taught (5:20,21) and avoid evil (5:22).  

The Love of Christ is in us

Paul was thankful for these new believers in Thessalonica. At the same time, Paul and his co-workers prayed night and day earnestly for them.

“10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.”

Three things he prayed:

(1) Their faith might mature (verse 10)

We can never be perfect in our faith. Until the day we meet Jesus face to face, we would not be perfect in our faith. There is always room for growth. We go “from faith to faith” (Romans 1:17).  

(2) Their love will increase and overflow for each other (verse 12)

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.”

During times of distress and sufferings, people’s ugly side is revealed. People can be selfish and demanding, or shutting off people. But some people will use this time to draw closer to God and to reach out to those in need. Christian love is not only limited to Christians, but to everyone else. Who can you share the love of Christ with this advent season?

(3) Their holiness of life (verse 13)

“May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” (verse 13)

Jesus Christ had come and He will return again. When Jesus Christ comes again the second time, He would not return as a baby again, but He would be the glorious Victor, who had victory over sin and death. Let us remember, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to holiness.

Prayers make a difference in our lives. In tough times, the Thessalonians remained firm in the Lord. They continued their relationships with Paul, and they with them. It is relationship with other brothers and sisters in Christ that helped us through tough times. We know that we are keeping one another in our prayers.

Light of Christ has shine among us

Christmas is to celebrate that the love of God has come from Heaven to Earth and dwelled among us. Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of God’s love. Without Jesus Christ coming to save us, we will all perish. We will die not only physically where our bodies will decay, but we will also die spiritually—perish in God’s wrath for our sins forever.

God sent His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to us so that those who believe in Him and call upon Him will be saved from God’s wrath and eternal damnation. Jesus Christ came as flesh and blood. He lived among us so that through Him, we could experience God’s great love for us. In Jesus Christ, we experience the peace of God. Peace that is deep within us. We experience God’s love. We experience hope. Hope that one day, Jesus Christ will come again for us.

2,000 years ago, Jesus had come. Light has shone in the dark. Today, the light of Christ is still shining. May it shine brightly in our lives. Let us live a life of thanksgiving for the goodness of God in our lives, for all the blessings we receive. Because all that we have comes from God. Let us live prayerful lives: praying and let us live a life that matures in faith and live a holy life. While we were still in the dark, Christ’s light shone in us. May we carry His light wherever we go. 

Shine

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-15, NIV)

Jesus described Himself and His disciples as the “Light of the World”. Jesus said to His disciples, “Let your light shine”. So, let us be someone who does good deeds so that the people around you will glorify our Father in Heaven.

With many countries around the world still in lockdown, we the citizens of this world are going into the “new normal”.

How should I live during this pandemic? Apostle Paul reminded us in Philippians 3:20 that we are “the citizens of heaven”. We are living in this world but our citizenship is in Heaven. We should reflect characteristics that show we are citizens of heaven.

Firstly, I will follow the SOP set out by the government. We are to be in submission to the government (Romans 13:1). I practice social distancing as well as take care of my personal hygiene. I hope that when I am in the bank or when I am getting groceries in the store, I will be nice and courteous too.

Secondly, I put my trust in God. I know that God is sovereign. He is in control. He is Almighty. He can destroy the virus. I will look upon Him.

Thirdly, I should spend time in prayer and read His Word. This is to get to know Him and get to know His heart better. My relationship with God should be on-going, before the pandemic, during the pandemic and after the pandemic.

I love this prayer from Richard of Chichester (1197-1253):

Day-by-day

Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,

For all the benefits you have given me,

For all the pains and insults you have borne for me.

O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,

May I know You more clearly,

Love you more dearly,

Follow You more nearly.     

Fourthly, stay in touch with family, friends and the community of faith. I am an introvert by nature. I love time by myself. But, this is the time where I can reach out to friends whom I have not been reaching out to due to the busyness of life. Just a message may encourage them. Think of creative ways to reach out to them.

St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) wrote, “Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion upon this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours”.

I hope to do good and to bring God’s light to people living in fear.  Christ has no body now on earth but ours. May it be that I am willing to be the light that shines for Him and to glorify Him.