Illuminated

READ: PSALM 8; MATTHEW 5:1-16; 2 CORINTHIANS 4:6; PHILIPPIANS 2:12-18

It was midnight. I put my paddleboard into the saltwater of the Puget Sound, then pushed off the shore and hopped aboard, surrounded by darkness. I dipped my paddle into the water, gently swirling it around, and gasped—the water sparkled! It looked as if the stars had fallen into the ocean. In utter disbelief, I did it again and again, marveling at the beauty of the bioluminescence, enchanted by the spectacle before me. I squealed with delight like a little kid in a candy store.

The phenomenon of bioluminescence occurs when algae in the water are disturbed by movement, causing them to produce a light. It happens most often during the warm summer months, in dark places with little to no light pollution. It’s a wondrous sight to see, and it makes me praise our God who created the amazing world we live in, a world filled with stars and fireflies and glowworms and bioluminescence. “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth!” (2 Chronicles 2:12).

Like the bioluminescence in the ocean water or the stars in the night sky, God also made us to shine. But we can’t do it on our own. We need God to illuminate us from within. Ephesians 5:8 says that without God, we are darkness—but, if we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we are “light in the Lord.” Jesus is the light of the world, and He died on the cross and rose from the grave to save us and bring us near to God. If we know Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, so we can reflect the light of His glory in a dark world. We can shine “like stars in the sky” as we “hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16). Like bioluminescence, we can give off light so that others might marvel at the God who illuminates us. To Him be the glory forever! • Tracy Mikula

• Consider taking some time this summer to pause from the busyness of life and explore the natural world around you. As you do, you can praise God who created it all and invites us to share in His pleasure and delight! What is one way you could spend time outside this week?

• The Holy Spirit helps us shine God’s light by resting in Jesus’s love for us and then letting that love overflow to others as we live according to His Word (Ephesians 5:1-20). What is a good time of day for you to read or listen to God’s Word (the Bible) and talk with Him in prayer? As you do, consider asking yourself: How is God revealing His light and love to me today?

Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. Philippians 2:15-16 (NIV)