You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Matthew 5:14-15
If you were to drive through just about any neighborhood at night in any modern country, you would see the lights of televisions and computers from the windows of almost every house. I remember my dear friend, Bonnie, using this idea to help a class visualize the idolatrous fires of ancient Israel. Ezekiel 6:13 says the Israelites had idols “all around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every thick oak.” The hills of Israel were dotted with the fires of pagan altars just as for us electronic screens are everywhere.
Neither of these, of course, is what Jesus had in mind when he said, “Let your light so shine before men,” (Matthew 5:16).
Nor was Jesus referring to prayer in that verse, but what if there were a world map which would show a pinpoint of light everywhere on earth where someone was praying, each light staying on as long as the prayer continued?
It seems that in Noah’s day, though the map of the inhabited world was much smaller (this was before Babel), there came a time when the prayer lights were only flashing from one address.
How often is the light of prayer shining from my location? And as a comparison, how often is the light of the television or the computer screen glowing in my house? Television shows, movies, and scrolling are passive, easy. Prayer is sometimes difficult. It requires our full concentration.
At what point does someone’s light of prayer go out completely? When they’ve stopped praying altogether, yes. But in Ezekiel’s day they were still inquiring of the Lord. Yet God said they “have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?” (Ezekiel 14:3-4 NLT).
The children of Israel had no business building altars– not a single one– to the false gods of their neighbors. Electronic screens, on the other hand, do have legitimate purposes, even spiritual ones. But because we can justify things like our screens, idolatry today is more insidious. We aren’t building altars and burning incense to pagan gods. But we can get carried away with the wasteful and even sinful uses of screens without realizing it. And when we embrace things that make us fall into sin, we harm our relationship with God, and our channel of communication with Him is at risk.
Also the children of Israel… set up for themselves sacred pillars and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree. There they burned incense on all the high places, like the nations whom the LORD had carried away before them; and they did wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger, for they served idols… (2 Kings 17:9-12)
Serving idols provokes God to anger. At what point does He say, “Though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them,” (Jeremiah 11:11b)?
In many ways we have gravitated to the habits and customs of the world, often letting them influence us more than the other way around. Sometimes that amounts to simply no worship of God at all. In some nations the light of prayer has all but gone out. Will it keep flashing in the United States? When people drive past your house, and when they look at your life, what will they see?
Most of our praying is done in private; we don’t pray to be seen of others (Matthew 6:5-6). But if we’re praying consistently and effectively, it should make a visible difference in our lives. By turning off the screens and turning on the light of prayer, we can help ensure that the light of our Christian influence keeps burning brightly.
And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually. Exodus 27:20
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
by Christie Cole Atkins
Dear God, I would never bow down before a statue of a pagan god, but please open my eyes to see in what ways I might be setting up idols in my heart by giving preference to things of the world over things of the Spirit. Help me to desire You more than anything else. Forgive my sins and please hear my prayers. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Related Reading:
Walk Worthy 