God often speaks to me, encourages and challenges me through nature and day to day life. This morning was no exception. Whilst walking the dog before work my eye was drawn to a small patch of harebell in the middle of a field. The field had been left to the whim of the long grass, thistles and weeds that gave my feet a good soaking, but it was the light blue, delicate harebell plants that I was drawn to.

Can you see them?!

They reminded me of how God calls us to be a light in the darkness – a light to the world, in the world but not of the world: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5 v 8)” and “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5 v 14-16).”

Deep within the stress, struggles, routines, fun and pain of everyday life, it’s easy to forget that we are light and that light stands out in the darkness. Just as that small clump of harebell stood out in the middle of a massive field, the smallest light shines brightly in the darkness. We draw the eye of those around us. Our colleagues see how we behave at work, passers-by observe how we discipline our children, strangers notice small acts of kindness, and neighbours our words of encouragement.

Zooming in.

In the moments before Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ prayed for his disciples and all who would come to believe in him through them. That’s us! He prayed not that God would take them out of the world but that he would protect them from the evil one. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it,” he said. “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you (John 17 v 15-21).”

The apostle Paul writes; “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12 v 2).”

There is nothing wrong with being in the world – growing in a field surrounded by long grass and overgrown with weeds. What matters is that we keep our light shining – however small our clump of harebell and however great the darkness around us feels.

Small and delicate but visible amongst the weeds from some distance.

We need to be frequently refreshed in God’s presence, in his word and soaking in his Holy Spirit. We need to praise God, reflect His glory, proclaim His truth, acknowledge His hand in and on our lives – testifying to his goodness, being bold in praying for the sick, living lives that count. We need to meet together, share life together and build each other up, supporting each other in prayer and perhaps also practically.

Some years ago God gave me a picture of a bright, colourful procession in the middle of dull greys. Picture the brightest, boldest, most flamboyant Soho carnival procession on the most miserable dark, damp and dreary day with crowds that look like they have just left the local crematorium. We were the carnival procession and as the procession went on, the colour spread, the music got louder, the clouds lifted and the whole scene was dazzling and vibrant.

The rather abstract picture I painted as a reminder of the carnival procession word God spoke to me!

When times are tough, we have rough days, need to make difficult decisions, have low energy and want to pull a sickie, or we really, really want to go on that all night bender with our mates, my prayer is that we remember that we are the harebell in the field, the carnival procession, bringing God’s light to the world and ask God for his strength and truth to live lives worthy of being called his children.

First written 6th August 2015