Luke 8:16-18 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”
Exodus 33:12-17 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
The Bible indicates Christians are the light of the world. We bring the "good news" that a Savior has come to a dark and dying world. As Christians, we express the Savior's personality to others through our actions and words. However, if we hide our obligations to the Lord, if we hide the fact that we are his and not our own, we will perform his work dimly or not at all. When we place his light, his likeness, under our personalities, under our interests, under our obligations, under our sins, we will not fulfill his purpose for our lives. If we try to follow any other philosophy or any other purpose for life, even our own self-interests, we will have missed the divine purpose for our lives, to be the light of the world. We cannot fool God. God knows what is in the heart of man; He knows what motivates us, what is foundational in our lives. If He is not, we are not lights, and we will be judged for our waywardness.
What is the most precious thing in your life? That is an important question for each of us to answer. For some of us it is life itself. We hold our life as the most precious possession we have. It is the engine that motivates us in everything we do. Others focus more on jobs, relationships, or loved ones as being the motivating aspects of our lives. They are precious because they keep our lives going; they give us a purpose for living. But the Bible indicates that none of these reasons for living should supersede our relationship with God. He should be by far the most precious element in our lives, more precious than life itself, for He is not only our creator, He is our Father, the lover of our souls. Anything less than total devotion to him will be exposed, for nothing can be hidden from God.
Is the Holy Spirit within you the most precious gift you have? Does He make life worth living? Do you daily hear him call your name or do you not have spiritual ears to hear? Jesus said be careful how you listen. Are you hearing his voice or are you hearing all of the other things that you consider precious? Are you hearing the Lamb's voice or are you hearing the self voice? This is very important because Jesus says whatever voice you hear will determine whether your lamp shines. If you hear the Spirit's voice, your lamp will shine brightly, but if you hear your voice only and its concomitant fleshly desires, your lamp will flicker or cease to burn. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.
God knows us by name if we are his. We cannot, we dare not, live this life without his presence, without communication with him. Moses said, I cannot do anything, nor do I want to do anything, unless your presence goes with me. Our lives are hidden with Christ in God and He is in us. We cannot do anything eternally unless He goes with us, prepares the way for us. Today, hear his voice inside you; know that He loves you and understands who you are. Covet his presence. He calls you by name.
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