Focus
Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.
Read
Ephesians 5:6-14 (NIV)
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Reflect
At the end of World War II, the world learned of many of the evils committed by the Third Reich under the direction of Adolf Hitler. Quite possibly the most unimaginable show of his reign of terror was witnessed by soldiers as they found their way into the concentration camps. Upon the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, 1945 Soviet soldiers found only 7,500 of the estimated 1.3 million captives alive. They also viewed 600 corpses; 837,000 women’s garments; 370,000 men’s suits; and 44,000 pairs of shoes.
Darkness had spread over Europe, just as sin takes hold and consumes us. The concentration camps of WWII were often a secret, the reality of their existence even hidden from prominent local citizens. If locals were aware of the camps, they more than likely ignored or didn’t discuss their existence. Finally, invading armies exposed these camps and the light began to shine bright for the remaining prisoners.
In 1980, Georgii Elisavetskii reported that because the remaining prisoners would not trust the Russian soldiers, he spoke to them in Yiddish, “’Do not be afraid, I am a colonel of Soviet Army and a Jew. We have come to liberate you.’ Finally, as if the barrier collapsed, they rushed toward us shouting, fell on their knees, kissed the flaps of our overcoats and threw their arms around our legs.” The light had come and exposed the sins of their captors.
Pray
God of light, shine bright in my life. Illuminate me with goodness, righteousness and truth so that through me the darkness may be displaced in others. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Go with God!
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