The Light Within & The Light Upon

I am currently in Nigeria for the summer. I would love to say it is a holiday, but it isn’t. I’m doing my field education/internship, which is one of the requirements for my graduate degree. Nigeria is an emerging country and as such infrastructure, such as electricity supply, is still evolving. Hopefully, we will get to a sustainable state. On one of my early morning personal devotions, as I read my bible, the electricity supply went out. A room that was brightly lit became very dark. I could not see my bible or anything else. At that moment, I wished I had my iPad with me. My studying would definitely not have been interrupted if I were using the bible app on my iPad. It was during this moment of thinking that I had an A-HA-moment. I was disadvantaged because I relied on the electricity that supplied my room. If my iPad was with me, when the light went off, the internal light from my iPad would have illuminated the room as well as prevented an interruption from my study.

Many at times, we rely on the prayers of our loved ones. Parents, especially mothers, pray for their children. In some instances, grand parents, also especially grand mothers, are very effective at praying for their grand children. They want the best for their children. I know beyond doubt that some of the blessings I enjoy today I owe to the prayers of my mother behind closed doors. I am indeed grateful forever. Fathers, do not be jealous. We love you and are also grateful for your prayers too! Happy Fathers day in advance! However, the truth is, though we want our loved ones to be with us and pamper us forever, they would not. It would get to a point where we need to pick up from them. The same also applies to some of us that only believe the prayers of particular people, while disbelieving our own prayers. Instead of totally depending on the light from the prayers of our loved ones, or other people, we need to generate our light from within. This means we saying prayers for ourselves. Furthermore, we can also pray for our loved ones, who have sacrificed years of their lives to pray for us. The saying that one good turn deserves another is perfect for the part. Have you ever wondered what happens when they stop praying for you? Stop and think about it. So from today, let us begin to work on the light within us and depend less on the light upon. This is why Christ said “when YOU pray…,” not “when THEY pray…”

So he said, “When you pray, say, Father, reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.” Luke 11:2-4.

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