The LIGHTHOUSE

In your mind – picture the following: A mother’s womb.  Military escort.  Bubble wrap.  Bodyguard.  Padded envelope.   NASCAR race car driver’s seat.  Bomb shelter.  Styrofoam packing pellets.  Sealed and laminated envelope.  Child’s car seat.

•  What do they seem to have in common?  Does the idea of being secure and safe come into mind?  How about the thought of protection?

When I first saw this picture it made me say, “Oh wow!”  I exhaled my breath slightly and sat up in my seat and took notice.  I studied the picture, narrowing my vision to focus on the man who is almost center stage in the photo.  Then I looked at the waves and was awe-stricken by their color, the power they conveyed, and could almost hear their crashing upon the lighthouse surrounding the man.  My mind was filled with images I’ve seen in the past --- tsunamis, floods, and tidal waves --- and thought of the damage and destruction they can cause.

Only after getting caught up by the person in the picture --- and then on the problem that surrounded him; did I really focus on the source of his protection. 

The lighthouse stood there in the midst of the problem providing security, safety, and protection.  Its look led me to believe that it had been there for a long time and obviously had weathered these types of situations many times in the past. 

If I were the man in the photo … I would be making all sorts of guttural sounds as I starred at the crashing waves.  My mind would be consumed with thoughts for my safety, and I would be throwing all of my energy and resources into holding on for dear life.  I don’t know if at that moment I would be saying thank you to the lighthouse or thinking of the person who had constructed it.  You see, I’m very human and would be thinking of worst case scenarios --- that is what we do.

Such is life in the midst of the fierce waves and storms that we face.  We generally focus on ourselves and the magnitude of the problem we face, instead of the majesty of the spiritual lighthouse that we have surrounding us.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Psalm 46:1-3:

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

The Lord is my lighthouse because of my faith in His Son, Jesus.  He has stood the test of time and will always be there for me; although the winds of life howl and the waves of life crash around me. 

Let’s keep that thought in our thinking this week and be a bit more grateful for the presence of our lighthouse and the protection that He provides for us.