Make God Discoverable

Les Eclarieurs Lighthouse in the Beagle Channel, Tiera del Fuego

 

'In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.' Matthew 5:16

Do you know that we are to make God discoverable? This was the central message I received from the sermon by Rob Watkins, a fellow passenger, entertainer ventriloquist and an evangelist, at an Inter-denominational Worship Service onboard the Sapphire Princess cruise ship on 22 January 2023. We were enroute to Antarctica.

Rob Watkins shared that he realised God can be discovered in 3 ways

• General revelation. This is through the beauty of God's creation and the wonders of Nature. All of the Christian 'seafarers' at the worship service are waiting to be confronted by the wonders of the Antarctica, its landscape and the fauna of the Southern Ocean. Have you ever experienced, standing before the Niagara Falls or at edge of the Grand Canyon, the overwhelming sense of the presence of God?

• Special revelation. Jesus Christ is God incarnate and comes alongside us revealing the nature of God to us. The Holy Spirit resides within us and helps us to sense the presence of God within us. The Triune God becomes evident to us. The Bible reveals God to us on a daily basis as we read God's Word, illuminating our minds and spirits.

• Relational revelation. This is where Christians can make God discoverable by being a good Christian witness to our family, friends and contacts. We are lights that shine and help others visualise God not only through the eyes, but in the soul and spirit. Jesus said that we are the lights of the world, 

'You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.' Matthew 5:14 (NLT)

 

 'In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.' Matthew 5:16 (CEB) 

The Matthew 5:16 text highlights our responsibilities in this relational revelation 

• The Place where our light should shine - Before men. Our Christian lives are to be lived in the presence of those around us, before many witnesses. We become transparent so that the Holy Spirit who lives within us shines forth as a testimony that God exists and works in our lives.

• The Process by which our light shines - Our good deeds. The things we do everyday out of love and with joy, bringing peace will be the things that people see and be inspired

• The Purpose for our light to shine - To glorify God. The good that we do should not point to ourselves but to God. God is the source of all goodness, the motivator of all good deeds.   

The lights of this world in the persons of all of us point towards God. We become ambassadors for Christ. The apostle Paul implored,

'So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" 2 Corinthians 5:20

On the 25 Jan 2023, we left the Argentinian town of Ushuaia at the most southern tip of Patagonia and headed head for Cape Horn prior going on to Antarctica. The Captain told us that the pilots on board refused to disembark at Cape Horn because of stormy weather. We may not proceed for the planned scenic cruising at Cape Horn as the waves and swells may be as high as 6 feet. On the 26 Jan 2023 we crossed the Drake Passage between two areas of more stormy seas but through the fog caused by the cold clockwise Antarctic current and the warmer South Atlantic current. 

I am reminded of the sailors that accompanied Magellan, Francis Drake and many other explorers and sea-captains who attempted to round the Cape. How the sailors must have feared the raging waves. How important the lights from the many lighthouses, now present in the various channels, in Tierra del Fuego are for guidance and safety.   

There is a song, 'Let the Lower Lights be Burning' that explains the reason why Christ compels us to have our lights shining; our lights, our testimonies point the way to Christ like beacons for salvation of souls. In the event of life's shipwrecks Christ is the main light shining from lighthouse and we Christians are the lower lights holding our lanterns guiding many to the safety and salvation in Christ.  

Brightly beams our father's mercy

From his lighthouse evermore

But to us he gives the keeping

Of the lights along the shore

Let the lower lights be burning

Send a gleam across the wave

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

You may rescue, you may save

Dark the night of sin has settled

Loud the angry billows roar

Eager eyes are watching, longing

For the lights along the shore

Let the lower lights be burning

Send a gleam across the wave

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

You may rescue, you may save

Lionel