©Katie Lloyd Photography

Light cannot be hidden
Unless we purposely hide it.
Unless we fool ourselves
Lighting a lamp,
And when no one is seeing
Finding a basket
To hide it under.

We fool ourselves,
Pretending that no one sees,
We sin in the dark
Trying to hide our light
Under our very own baskets.
Behind and under…
Screens
Words
Silence
Lies
Fears
Self-Esteem
Our own rights
Self-Righteousness
Masks

The weak flame in our lamp
Desperately searches for oxygen
To keep burning the oil,
To keep giving light.

Our sin suffocates it
But if God has kindled it
Not one,
Not me,
Not my sin,
Not my stubbornness,
Not my hidding,
Not my fears,
Nothing can put it out.

God is light
And His light
pierces all darkness.
My darkness.
And darkness cannot prevail
Against the Light.
And sin faces Light
And Light overcomes.

Light cannot be hidden.
The Light that has shone on me
That has pierced my darkness
Is real
Is true.
Is forever.

I don’t want to hide
My lamp.
I want to shine forth.
To live my life in the Light.
Like a city set on a hill,
Like a lamp in a house.
Shining brightly before men,
Piercing the pitch-dark night.

I don’t want to hide
My lamp.
I want to shine forth.
To do good works,
Those that the Father
Prepared for me to do,
Before the world began.
That all may see
His light shining on me
Through me,
And give glory to the Father of Lights,
In whom there are no shadows,
No darkness.
No sin.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all 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 who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” James 1:16-18

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Eph. 2:8-10

Becky