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“To hope grown dim, to hearts turned cold Speak tongues of fire and make us bold To shine Your Word of saving grace Into each dark and loveless place.
“Restrain, O Lord, the human pride That seeks to thrust Your truth aside Or with some man-made thoughts or things Would dim the words Your Spirit brings.”
In these hymn verses, we pray that God would make us courageous witnesses for Christ: “Make us bold to shine Your Word of grace.” We also ask that the Lord would restrain the forces that oppose His Word: “Restrain, O Lord, the human pride that seeks to thrust Your truth aside.” News reports and daily experience show us that the world can be a very dark place of sin and opposition to the truth of God’s Word. We are called to bring the light of God’s Word to that darkness.
The Word warns us about the thoughts and things that try to dim the light of truth. The apostle Paul warned the young pastor Timothy about man-made thoughts that would arise to oppose the truth. People would develop “itching ears” and find “teachers to suit their own passions.” No longer listening to the truth, many would instead embrace myths invented by those man-made thoughts (see 2 Timothy 4:3-4). We can see the evidence of such thoughts and beliefs at work in today’s culture as Satan attempts to extinguish the light of Jesus Christ and His Word.
Surrounded by the growing darkness of human pride and the man-made thoughts and things that oppose the truth, we proclaim the light and truth of Jesus Christ. We pray that our Lord would make us bold to share His Word of saving grace with those still lost in darkness. Jesus sent His disciples into the world to proclaim the truth of His Word, to announce repentance and forgiveness in His Name. Like those first disciples, we too are witnesses for Jesus Christ. A witness in a courtroom does not seek to convince a jury of the truth. A witness simply tells what he saw and what he knows. That is what we do as witnesses for Jesus. We tell others what we know to be true. We talk about our Savior’s atoning death and triumphant resurrection. We speak of Jesus’ constant presence in our lives and of the forgiveness, hope, and peace that we have through faith in His Name. The Holy Spirit is at work in our witness as He convicts people of the truth. In our homes, in our neighborhoods and in all nations, we are witnesses for our crucified and risen Lord. Into every dark and loveless place, we shine the Word of truth!
WE PRAY: Lord, restrain human pride that seeks to hide the truth of Your Word. Make me a bold witness for You. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “Lord Jesus Christ, With Us Abide,” which is number 585 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
- Are there distractions in your life that keep you from drawing closer to God?
- Can you think of examples of people with “itching ears” who are finding “teachers to suit their own passions” today?
- How can you be an instrument of God’s light for others in an area where people are struggling?
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