The Lower Lights (Santosh Poonen)

The “Great Light” didn’t seek prominence in Jerusalem, but withdrew into “insignificance” in Galilee… He was at rest in His Father’s planning (Matthew 4:12-16). The Father would take care of fulfilling the prophecy (Isaiah 9:1-7). The “light of men” was the life in Jesus (John 1:4-5). The darkness did not comprehend the light like death cannot comprehend life. When “the Light” interacted with others He said, “neither do I condemn you”, “go your way, and from now on sin no more”, and led people to not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (John 8:1-12). “The Light” existed with the purpose of doing the works of God… going about “doing good” (Matthew 4:23-25; Acts 10:38). Jesus was the light while He was in the world (John 9:1-5). This is the life that is the light of men: being poor in spirit; being a mourner; being meek; hungering and thirsting for righteousness; being merciful; being pure in heart; being a peacemaker; rejoicing when persecuted for the sake of righteousness (Matthew 5:3-15). “The Master will take care of the great lighthouse: let us keep the lower lights burning” (D.L. Moody). Let the Lower Lights Be Burning by Philip P. Bliss: Brightly beams our Father’s mercy from His lighthouse evermore, But to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore. Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave! Some poor fainting, struggling seaman you may rescue, you may save. Dark the night of sin has settled, loud the angry billows roar; eager eyes are watching, longing, for the lights along the shore. Trim your feeble lamp, my brother; some poor seaman, tempest-tossed, trying now to make the harbor, in the darkness may be lost.