1336AFC0906113 – Sunbeams and Moonbeams
Read it online here, please.
Also, please watch this video before reading the text. Thanks!
John 8:12 – Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Matthew 5:14-16 – You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
John 3:21 – But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
The sun at the center of our solar system is the power source for physical and biological life on this Earth. The sun makes the plants grow, the water recirculate between sky and sea, and helps regulate the waking hours and resting hours of living things. Every bit of energy it sends our way is free, sent with no expense to us. In ages past, earthlings have worshiped it, studied it, analyzed it, aimed for it, blessed it and cursed it, and all the while depended on it for light, warmth, and energy.
The Son at the center of our Faith is the source for spiritual and eternal life both on and beyond this Earth. The Son makes love grow, happiness recirculate between Heaven and Earth, and helps synchronize the lives and deaths of all earthlings. Every bit of Grace he sends our way is free, sent with no expense to us. In ages passed we have worshipped Him, studied Him, ignored Him, expected him, crucified and buried him, and all the while depended on Him for Light, Peace, and Joy.
And now, as always, He wants us to want Him, to know Him, to Love and Serve Him. He wants us to be like Him. That’s why Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam is the Song of the Day this Friday. He wants us to bring light and goodness into the world. He wants us to be loving as He is Loving, to be humble as He is Humble, and to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is Perfect.
The last two lines of the third verse say, Ever reflecting His goodness, / And always shine for Him. Often we hear we should mirror Christ (remember last week?) so that when people see us they see Christ. We are to reflect His Glory into the world, let his Light shine forth from us. As I thought about that in the days since our last message, I realized “That’s what Moonbeams do. They reflect the light of the sun.”
You and I are moonbeams, right? I mean, isn’t this the Moon Beam Network? Jah, sure, you betcha we are! And we reflect the Love of Christ in our day-to-day prayers, thoughts, words, and deeds. His Light illuminates our lives, and we share that light by shining it on others’ lives. The moon does not generate light, it reflects it. We know about the moon having phases in its rotation. For fourteen days part of its surface is visible, but for all but a few days part of the far side of the moon, the so-called “dark side,” is discernible, too. In fact, since the same side of the moon always faces the Earth, when we see a “New Moon” it is actually the near side of the moon during lunar night. Over the course of about 29 days the moon makes one single rotation, and during that rotation only one side of the moon faces the earth; BUT, also during that one rotation of the moon every bit of its surface is exposed to the sun. We always only see the nearside, but when the near side appears dark, the far side is fully lit. No matter how you think of the moon, you know that it never sends us its own light; it reflects the light of the sun to us. In like manner, we reflect the Light of the Son to others. We are moonbeams.
BUTWAITTHERE’SMORE!
What do the lyrics say? Jesus wants me for a Moonbeam? Nope. Jesus wants ME for a SUNBEAM. Hm. Well, OK then, I suppose we could rethink this a little. After all it’s a Gospel chorus or a Gospel hymn, but it is definitely not a Gospel passage. This isn’t Scripture by any means, but it is a popular and powerful message for Christian children, especially those in the “primary grades.” So here’s what I started thinking about: If Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, what does that mean? Where do sunbeams come from and where do they go? They come from the sun, right? And they go everywhere. They don’t just shine on Earth, they shine on all the planets, and all the asteroids, and all the moons, and satellites, and space ships, and extraterrestrials (astronauts), and for a full 46,656,000 degrees in all directions (that’s 360X360X360). Its light travels for roughly 93,000,000 miles to get to us and keeps blasting past us for billions and billions of miles. Recently scientists reviewing images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope calculated that they had captured light from galaxies 13.2 billion light-years from Earth. It takes a “sunbeam” – a photon – moving at the speed of light about eight minutes and twenty seconds to travel from the surface of the sun to our eyes. That’s a mere 8.2 light-minutes. The light seen comes from where it originates inside the sun.
If you and I are going to try to be Sonbeams, we have to originate inside the Son. What a remarkable coincidence! We do! As we see in our passage from the Gospel of John, we see that Jesus says, “I am the Light of the world.” If His Light is in us and we are in His Light … SUNBEAMS!
If you remember singing this song as a child, now you know how to be a Sunbeam for Him; be a Sonbeam, and shine for Him each day. (and if you didn’t sing it as a child, it’s never too late to learn it!) And, in addition to Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, you can also sing This Little Light of Mine. You will be in the Light and the Light will be in you. And do you know what? IN the Light there is no darkness, so whatever you do will be Light. [Go ahead. Take a moment and read that link.] And, when we live in the Light and the Light lives in us, we live in the Truth so whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
Beloved, darkness is upon this world, and shadows cover us in every direction. Still, the Light is there; the Light of Christ, who is the image of the Living God, is yours to claim. Do not fear or love the darkness. Do you want that darkness to leave? Darkness is merely the absence of light. You are the light of the world, so stand where you can be seen and light the place where you stand.
Share-A-Prayer
Whatever you need, Jesus is it.
We pray for the conversion of sinners everywhere. Help them to nurture and cherish the spark of your Spirit that dwells in every living soul. We pray on behalf of those whose faith is tepid so that, through the fervency of our prayer, their faith will become stronger.
We pray for those who are blinded by the world and do not see the Light of Christ. Open their eyes, Lord. Help them to see.
We pray for all among our families, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and congregations who are suffering from chronic disease including cancer, addiction, diabetes, and constant pain asking that God both grant relief from the disease and hope for a healthy future.
We pray for our leaders, and for leaders of all nations, that they might govern with morality, compassion, integrity, wisdom, and justice so we can all live together in Peace.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved.
chick
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam
1
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for Him each day;
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at school, at play.
Refrain:
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I’ll be a sunbeam for Him.
2
Jesus wants me to be loving,
And kind to all I see;
Showing how pleasant and happy,
His little one can be.
3
I will ask Jesus to help me
To keep my heart from sin;
Ever reflecting His goodness,
And always shine for Him.
4
I’ll be a sunbeam for Jesus,
I can if I but try;
Serving Him moment by moment,
Then live for Him on high.
