Lent: Keep it simple

Lighting a Light of Hope

"He shall burn it every morning … When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense. There shall be perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations." – Exodus 30:7-9 

To mark the significance of a happening or memory, we are often asked to light a candle and place it in a window.  If you have ever visited a cathedral or church that has a prayer station; it is possible to light a prayer candle and pray, “May this candle be a light for you to enlighten me. May it be a fire for you to burn out of me all pride, selfishness and impurity. May it be a flame for you to bring warmth into my heart; warmth towards my family, my neighbours and all whom I meet.”

Lighting light’s as a daily devotion says something of the hope a person of faith has in God.

From the above verse we get a glimpse of such active hope. One of Aaron’s primary responsibilities as a priest was to take care of the lamps set before God. He was assigned to trim them not occasionally or often, but twice each day – every morning and evening. God wanted these lamps to burn constantly and as brightly as possible. Aaron had other duties that would keep him busy. He easily could have been distracted. But he never could forget the lamps.

While central to his ministry, this assignment also an important part of his personal life. This was a daily reminder to focus on God, to think about His Word, to evaluate his own heart and priorities, and to make sure He was serving Him faithfully.

These principles still apply to each believer. Every day, we each have many options about how we spend our time and what we do with our resources. How easily we can focus on our jobs or hobbies, our interests or families, world events or the news, even religious activities instead of on spiritual matters.

But the assignment given to Aaron reminds us why it is important to begin and end every day with God, to read His Word, to pray and spend time with Him, and to seek to be attuned to His Spirit.

Don’t ignore your “lamp,” but seek to make your testimony burn brightly. Spend quality time with God. Dedicate your life to Him. Seek to please Him and faithfully serve Him.

Here is our second verse from Charles Wesley’s hymn for this week.

2 The fact surpasses all my thought;

But faithful is my Lord;

Through unbelief I stagger not,

For God hath spoke the word.