I have hours where God’s light shines out of my eyes, my words, and my actions. And then I have follow it up by really losing it, and often that’s done publicly. How can anyone see God’s reflection in my imperfection?

I believe that we are forgiven by God when we confess our sins. We need to do the same thing to those we hurt: apologize, make amends, and ask God to show us new and better ways the next time. There are consequences to our mess-ups, and we need to persist in our transformation, relying on God’s strength and Holy Spirit filling. When we sin, God’s light is stronger. When life is hard, God’s light illumines a way to faith and hope. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God’s lights our way to Him and home.

Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.
Psalm 43:3, NIV

God is the Source of Light: Waxing and Waning

I reflect His light
as the moon does the sun—
waxing and waning
as the days pass.

But the differences
in the light I mirror are not a result
of my source’s light
which never wanes or waxes,
but blazes with such bright rays
that I cannot, in my frailty, look at it head-on
but see in a darkened mirror.

My light source is almighty,
never-ending,
the Creator of all light.

It is my reflective surfaces
that wane and wax,
the smoothness affected by sin
which I allow to impinge on my ability
to reflect His glorious light.

Lord, the source of all light and warmth,
help me to more fully reflect your light
every day,
in every circumstance.

---