When I am at my mother's house, I often sleep in the front bedroom which faces east and is flooded with light early in the morning. It is flooded with light at night too, if only for a brief second at a time. The lighthouse shines its beam directly in the window regularly and rhythmically as it performs its duty around the clock. Visitors, who stay in that room, will often wonder if someone has been outside with a flashlight at night. The lighthouse functions in bad weather and good, shining for those lost at sea, for those safely on the ground, and for everyone to navigate by and return safely to shore. With the coming of technology that has made the lighthouse less efficient a tool, I am reminded that faithfulness counts for so much more than efficiency.
In 1Timothy, Paul writes "I urge that with supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high places, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity." Like the lighthouse, we are called to pray for everyone, no matter whether we like them, agree with them, or if they intent to do us harm. Our peace comes from praying that everyone returns safely to shore. Our joy comes from being a faithful beacon of God's love, shining for everyone, in every season without rejecting some, and focusing on others. Like that lighthouse, we do our best in constancy, not necessarily in efficiency. God calls us to be beacons of hope in dangerous and peaceful times.
Our church and country and in the midst of troubled seas. Politics calls all of us to take sides, to chose - to be right or wrong. And politics are not bad in themselves. But, if they keep us from praying for strangers and enemies,as well as friends -our own peace could be lost. If we focus on efficiency and not on love, our joy may be stunted. My prayer for today is that I can pray for everyone, praying for a life of peace for us all.
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