My girls went back to school on Tuesday. After the rained-out solar eclipse on Monday afternoon (though at least we got to use our glasses for a few minutes when the eclipse first started!), we packed book bags and lunch boxes and headed out the door quite early Tuesday morning.
I wasn’t ready for the school year to start, but I do sincerely love getting back into a routine! In the spirit of starting the day on the right foot, I was up early to do my devotions. I just started reading through Isaiah, and in chapter 2, verse 5, I found some inspiration for my girls (and myself) for the new school year.
“…let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
I shared this with my girls on our drive to school. I wish I was disciplined enough to remember to say it to them every morning when they head out the door. (Okay, I’m dealing with two teenagers here so I could get some funny looks, but if I say it enough, it might sink in!) Maybe I need to post it somewhere visible – like taped to the dashboard of the car, or on the door that leads out to the garage.
I wanted to break down for myself what it might mean to live in the light of the Lord. Here are a few ideas I had.
1. Live in the light of the salvation I have through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;”
Every day I live I should be grateful for my salvation. God sent His Son to die for my sins. He provided a way for me to live with Him in heaven forever. Praise God for that! Because of my salvation, I can live in victory over sin and with the hope of an eternal home in heaven always before me.
2. Walk in the light of His Word.
Have you ever studied all that Psalm 119 has to say about God’s Word? Verse 105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
Each day my daughters and I – and you – can be guided by principles from God’s Word. This is why it’s so important to be reading it every single day. It’s where I learn what steps I should take and how to handle what comes my way. My girls are in a stage of life where they will be making “big” life decisions. What better way for them to find guidance than through prayer and consistently studying God’s Word.
Psalm 119:130 says, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” I get wisdom and understanding from God’s Word. I find instruction that tells me how to live as God wants me to.
3. Grow in the light of knowing God.
1 John 1:5, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” As we get into God’s Word, we learn more about Him, His character, and how He works in the lives of His children. How I want my daughters to learn more about God in the coming months by experiencing answered prayer and by seeing Him carry them through difficult days that come.
We can’t be distracted by the darkness of sin; that keeps us out of His light. Prayer helps keep our consciences tender towards the conviction of the Holy Spirit when we’re straying from the right path.
4. Show His light to others.
What Scripture fits better here than Matthew 5:16? “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
I’m sure we can all think of practical ways to show His light to others. At school, my girls can be a testimony by having compassion when a classmate’s hurting, treating teachers with respect, and making choices to do what’s right in spite of what others choose to do. Humility and graciousness in the way we interact with others will get us all a long way.
It’s not my own light that I want to be recognized. Rather I should ask myself how well I’m reflecting the light of God. If my heart is right with Him, I can shine brightly for His glory.
My hope and prayer is that over the next nine months, each of us in our family will “walk in the light of the Lord!”
Related posts:
3 Pieces of Advice for My Children in the New School Year
How to Make the Most of the Morning Drive to School
5 Ways to Prepare My Heart for Back-to-School
Good advice, not just for teen girls but for all of us who need to stay focused. We so need the light of the Lord in this very dark world we are in. Thanks, Tracey!
I’m starting to catch up on my blog reading, and I’m so far behind! This one is a great place to start with the reminder to walk in the light, and do things — even blog reading! — that glorify God.
Yes, I need this reminder frequently – to glorify God in all that I do. (And I did print out this verse and tape it to the door leading to our garage 🙂