I Want To Be A Solar Panel – Spiritually Speaking

(Scripture references from sources as noted)

The entire world is going through a very difficult period right now.  There is so much that is unknown and fear is running rampant. This seems to lead to a darkness in the lives of those that let fear fill them more than faith.  What we need right now is a huge dose of light to overcome that darkness pervading the lives of so many.

One hundred and eighty-one years ago – way back in 1839 – solar power was discovered by Alexandre Edmond Becquerel.  I did not research what happened after that initial discovery.  But what I found indicated that in 2005 – just a short 15 years ago – the DIY solar panels became popular and this renewable source of power has slowly gained acceptance and grown in importance – third in popularity behind hydro and wind.

So how exactly does solar power work?  Simply put, solar panels work by absorbing the sun’s energy.  That energy is then converted into electricity which then powers so many things that we use as a society.  I am guessing that the primary result and use would be our lights.    

A few months ago I had a personal experience that brought home to me how much I rely on my electricity and my lights in particular.  My ceiling light fixture in my kitchen came loose and dropped to the floor, crashing and being completely destroyed. I had to order a new fixture then wait for it to arrive then to be installed.  The only other light I have in my kitchen is the one over my stovetop – not nearly enough light. Out of habit, every time I went into the kitchen I flipped the switch, only to be greeted with nothing.  I wanted my light back! How great it was after a week to once again be greeted with light when that switch was flipped up!

When you think about the world we now live in, there is so much darkness around us at every turn.  Our enemy Satan, along with his army of evil ones, roams about doing all they can to send our lights crashing to the floor, throwing us into darkness.  When that happens to us, we have to make a decision. Will we let that darkness overtake us and our lives? Or, will we reach out to the light that is available to us and flip the switch back on?  If we do not take advantage of the power source that is available, then we will just wander around in the darkness that desires to overtake us.

We are told in John 1:4-9a “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.  God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.  John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone was coming into the world.  He came into the very world he created…”        

Jesus is the light – the true light – that came into this world to defeat darkness.  A light so powerful that as told in the scripture quoted above “the darkness can never extinguish it.”  That light is available to everyone, but it is our choice. We have to decide if we want the light in our lives or are we happier living in the darkness?  It is hard for me to comprehend, but there are people that do choose to live in their darkness. Me? I would much prefer to always be living in the light – darkness is uncomfortable.

 “The Son radiates God’s own glory…” Hebrews 1:3a (New Living Translation)

“But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (New Living Translation)

When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, He said “You are the light of the world…” Matthew 5:14a (NIV) 

So….Jesus radiates God’s glory….When we turn to the Lord we will see and reflect the glory of the Lord….Then we can be light to the world.  

We need to be like those solar panels – we need to absorb the energy of the Son of God.  We can then convert that energy into power and reflect His light into this world that it so desperately needs.  If we reflect Jesus in our lives we will “…show His kind of mercy, do His kind of works, pray His kind of prayers, tell His kind of stories, and seek His kind of justice.  Then grace, forgiveness, and love of Jesus are to permeate everything we do. Why? Because He is light, and we were created to shine.” (Chris Tiegreen – Worship the King One Year Devotional) 

So what do you choose?  Darkness or light?

Written by Karran Martin – April 17, 2019