Coming To God During Shifting Seasons

Jesus said:  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  1 John 1:5b-7

So today Lord Jesus, Light of the world, would You shine Your light into the darkness in us and around us.  Show us Your presence and Your path.  Help us to welcome You, the light of life into all we are and all we do.  With the writer of the Psalms we pray:

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!  Psalm 139:23-24

One of the favourite songs we sang for years in prison chapel services was “Mighty To Save.”  Here are some of the lyrics

Everyone needs compassion, a love that's never failing, let mercy fall on me.  Everyone needs forgiveness, the kindness of a Savior, the hope of nations

Savior, He can move the mountains. My God is mighty to save. He is mighty to save.  Forever, author of salvation, He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave

A little later in the song were these words:

Shine Your light and let the whole world see we're singing for the glory of the risen King, Jesus

Somehow those words reminded me of how this season of light – Epiphany in the church, and the season of repentance and preparation – season of Lent that we will be entering this Wednesday  -- link together.

Heavenly Father, so many times we turned away from You but You always welcomed us back.  Thank your for Your invitation to come to You to receive Your forgiving and reconciling work.  We thank You for Jesus our saviour who makes a way for us to have relationship with You.  Thank you also for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who speaks to us about what is going on in our own hearts and lives and who helps us to get honest with You in it all.  During these next weeks we pray that our relationship with You will deepen and we will come closer to You than we ever have before.  Amen

So as one church season moves into the next and then a week later we move from standard time to daylight saving time, we pray to walk one day, one step at a time with God who journeys with us.  Let’s have a great Sunday today doing just that.