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Rabbenu

A Discussion of Messianic Judaism, the Emerging Messianic Jewish Paradigm, and Related Leadership Issues from the Preoccupied Mind of Rabbi Stuart Dauermann, PhD.

All Contents ©2004-2007 Stuart Dauermann - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

A Belated Hanukkah Message (Also Good for New Year's Resolutions!)

The only light we have to give is reflected light.

We are like the moon, not like the sun. The sun has light in itself, the moon has not light but what it reflects. But that reflection can be absolutely beautiful.

Not only that, one cannot look at the sun, but can look at the moon.

Similarly, people cannot look directly at God, who is the ultimate light—but they can look at us. And we can only be lights if we reflect the light of God.

How shall we do this? In honor of the eight days of Hanukkkah, I suggest eight ways. And these are good avenues to pursue throughout this New Year.

1. We reflect the light of God when we spend time in seeking His face—we with unveiled faces . . .

2. We reflect the light of God when we spend time in His word, not simply looking for information or arguments to explain this or that, but looking at the word as a place where we meet with God, He with us, and where we meet his authority and directions for our lives.

3. We reflect the light of God when we spend time in God[s precence seeking to understand the excellency of Messiah. What was he like? What impact did he have on people who really got to know Him?

4. We reflect when we cultivate a right perspective—“if that light in you be darkness, how great is the darkness!”

5. We reflect the light of God when we become people who expose the unfruitful works of darkness instead of cooperating with them.

6. We become people of light when we show others the right way to walk, and how to avoid the dangers around them.

7. We reflect the light when we live under the rule of God. It is not enough to have warm fuzzy feeling about God or about ourselves, or even to be “nice people.”

8. To be a light requires work—it is neither easy, nor is it automatic. Most of all it calls for something utterly foreign to the spirit of the age: self-denial. When people deny themselves, their desires, and appetites in order to do the right thing, the light is blinding.

Come house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord. Happy New Year!

posted by Stuart Dauermann @ 11:02 PM   0 comments