God of Light

Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom should I fear?

     When you browse through a Bible book store or religious gift shop, you can often find trinkets showing a picture of a lighthouse, with the first verse of Psalm 27 written across it. Though this imagery has become a bit of a cliché, it truly is a good analogy. God can be the beacon of light in the darkness as we navigate through our lives, just as a real lighthouse guides ships safely into harbor.     

     In his book The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Dawson Carr writes, “Romans built and manned as many as 30 lighthouses by the fifth century, but after the empire fell to barbarians, centuries of darkness descended over the European and the Mediterranean coasts figuratively and literally. Pirates often built bonfires on shore to lure seagoing prey, and it wasn’t until monks and other holy men began manning signal fires did mariners trust them again.”

     We must beware of these false lighthouses as we make our voyage through life. Many beacons may appear that promise us safety and shelter, but they could have been set by “pirates” who want to lead us astray for their own benefit. Cable TV is full of get-rich-quick schemes. Classmates may try to convince us that drugs and alcohol are a way to experience pleasure and escape boredom. Co-workers may promise financial gain by encouraging us to participate in unethical behavior such as falsifying statements or accepting bribes. Phony preachers tell us that we can buy our way to heaven by making donations to their “church”. As Tony Campolo said in his book Who Switched the Price Tags? , “the church is the light of the world, but like any other light, it can attract bugs.”

     Only by placing our faith and trust in God will we be saved from the false lighthouses.

     Lord, you alone are our light and salvation. Hold us in your care, so that we may have the wisdom to listen only to you.

Amen.

 Susan Ardito