Recently the Wokingham Lions Club hosted the annual fireworks display in Cantley which I am sure many of you were aware of and perhaps attended.
For the first time this year my family and I also took part in the torchlight procession which was a magical experience and a great sight to behold. Everyone held their torches up proudly as we walked together shining a warm, glowing light in the darkness.
This got me thinking, in a world where we can be overwhelmed by the darkness how can we dispel that and add some light? The news is filled with wars, natural disasters, political unrest and other sad and difficult situations but those who have a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are called the ‘light of the world – Matthew 5:14-16 says: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”
It seems in this day and age that people are at times ashamed of their faith, they don’t want to share what they believe with anyone else for fear of causing offence, of not being listened to but this is the opposite of what we should be doing.
Our belief that Jesus, God’s son, was sent to die on a cross so we could spend eternity with him should be something that glows from us just like the torches on bonfire night – we should be bold, brave and proud of what we believe and who we believe in so as we enter into a period where we focus on the birth of Jesus Christ hold that torch of faith high and let it shine to all those around.
Claire Revie from Norreys Church, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham
