Light of Christ - We are called to be light in the darkness

“For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.  For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret; but when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.  Therefore it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”  – Ephesians 5:8-14

We are but mirrors for the light of Christ to shine in the darkness.  Let Christ reflect off our mirrors and shine through our brokenness.  As I think about this, I wonder for how long has my mirror been shattered, damaged, broken pieces some on the ground, some still clinging to the frame, and others half off ready to fall.  My light instead of shining forth in fullness was weak and just slivers of what it could be.  I knew I needed to allow Christ to repair it.  However, I was deep in sin and yet Christ reached out, pulled me out of it, and guided me into his light.  In turn I saw the brightness of the light and desired it and to share it more fully.  God asked me if I wanted him to repair the mirror and I did but I was afraid.  Jesus came, calmed my fear, and told me to trust in him, it might be painful at times but he would be gentle as possible and always be holding my hand.  I saw the light of Christ burst through the darkness, as a beacon in the night, a lighthouse whose beam pierces the fog.  I was shown the light of Christ like never before, through friends, family, those that I served, and those that served me.  I realized then just how shattered and damaged my own mirror had become and truly wished it to be healed and made complete.  Slowly Jesus started to gather up the shattered pieces that lie on the path that was behind me, the path that I had walked.  Sometimes the shards were sharp and cut him, sometimes so deep that I see the red blood dripping from his hands.  I go to reach out and He looks up and says fear not for the price has already been paid; I love you so much that it pains Me so much more to see you so broken.  This is blood that I sacrificed freely for all and he continued to gather up pieces.  Sometimes He would find a piece that would belong perfectly to my mirror and would reach up to put it in its place.  I shied away in fear but he echoed the words, “Be not Afraid.”  Trust, not that it would not hurt but that He would be there always holding my hand.  He reached up again to place it and I surrendered to him and believed He could heal me.  I felt His hand touch my heart and felt pain and heartache, both physically and spiritually, I cried out and He was there.  I received the healing of the Lord and He healed the piece to where it belonged and helped me through the pain, the memories that came with it, and the forgiveness that must be given and received.  He was so gentle, so loving, and his hand caressed my face as I cried out in pain.  When I felt alone in my pain, He assured me was there and it would be over soon for He had already experienced most of the pain for me.  However, I needed to experience that piece of my life, that piece of darkness and while I would feel the pain of it, then I would be healed from it.  Through this, I always felt the love of God piercing through my pain, a reassurance of light in my darkness.  Finally a light burst forth from His hand and He pulled it away and that small piece was once more a part of the whole and it shined a little brighter than before.  Jesus reached for another broken piece, this one seemed jagged and with lots of sharp edges.  I could see how it pained Him but before he brought it to my heart to be healed, He took the sharp edges and made them smooth with His hands, redeeming my sin and brokenness.  Then bringing his hand to my heart, once more I gazed into His loving eyes and trusted him, surrendered my fear to Him, believing that He could heal me and received His healing touch.  I knew it would hurt but that His love was greater than my pain and I trusted Him to always be there for me.  There were many broken pieces and I saw in them much pain and sorrow but I knew that He would heal them all, but only as I was able to receive them.  That I would be purified through Him and made whole so that I could be the beacon in the darkness shining forth with the light of Christ, for a city on a hill shall not be hidden.  We are called to shine forth with one light and as each shard is healed that I come to know Him more and reflect the light of Christ that little bit more.  In the words of John Paul the Great, “Be not Afraid.”  Therefore, I am no longer afraid of my broken pieces of mirror and everything they hold, but embrace them as I can allow myself to be healed through them and the love of Christ.