“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light, a light has dawned on those living in

the land of darkness” (Isaiah 9:2).

As we travel, my wife and I enjoy seeing, visiting, and climbing old lighthouses. One summer we

saw several in the upper peninsula of Michigan. With its proximity to four of the Great Lakes, it

has more lighthouses than any other state in our country.

Lighthouses have been around for much longer than I realized. The lighthouse of Alexandria,

Egypt, built in the 3rd century BC, was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. At over

100 meters, it was second only to the pyramids of Giza as the tallest structure in the world. 

Using the sun during the day and a fire at night, lighthouses were first used to mark the

entrance to the harbor and later to warn of dangers like rocky shoals. The invention of the

Fresnel Lens in 1823 allowed the light source to be much smaller and increased the overall

brightness. These lenses are still in use today. However, the advent of electronic navigational

equipment has made most lighthouses obsolete.

My wife and I have seen dozens of lighthouses, and there are many variations on the theme; but

they are all designed to do one thing: guide ships safely home.

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp

and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the

house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good

works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

In these verses, Jesus, the one who brought light into a world of darkness, the one who steers

stars through the cosmos, charges us with the task of serving as a lighthouse! 

But, Lord, I might mess up, I might not shine bright enough to keep people off the rocks, I might

not be able to shine in such a way that perfectly reflects Your light. Lord, do You really want me?

I’m pretty sure God knows we aren’t perfect; and yet He still wants us to shine the light before a

dark, dark world as brightly and as boldly as we can, guiding people safely home to Him.

How are you doing as a lighthouse? 

Are you taking full advantage of God’s blessings to shine from the top of the hill, or do you find

yourself at times hiding your light under a basket?

What are three things you can do this Christmas season to shine your light?

Bill Ellis

Bill serves as the Care and Outreach Pastor at Immanuel. He and his wife, Elizabeth, enjoy

spending time with their children and grandchildren. They also love the outdoors, especially

America’s beautiful national parks.