The Lighthouse

Having lived near the coast of North Carolina for close to a decade allowed my wife and I the opportunity to be near our favorite place, the ocean, and also in proximity to those beautiful structures so often found near our country’s seas and inland waterways – lighthouses.

What is the purpose of a lighthouse? We all know that lighthouses serve as a navigational guide and a warning for boats and ships to stay clear of dangerous shoals, rocks, and currents. During the day, the sailors can see the lighthouses by their unique markings, called Daymarks. For example, here on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the Bodie Island Lighthouse has horizontal black and white markings, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has candy-stripe black and white markings, Cape Lookout Lighthouse has black and white diamonds, and the Ocracoke Lighthouse is all white. At night, or in fog and bad weather, the sailors are guided by the light that acts as a beacon, keeping ships clear of shallow or treacherous waters.

But did you know that some lighthouses also act as a welcoming marker for sailors and boats. While the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse protects ships from one of the most hazardous sections of the Atlantic Coast, known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic,” the Ocracoke Lighthouse serves to guide sailors and boats from the Pamlico Sound into Silver Lake, almost saying to them, “Come on in.”

O LORD, you give me light; you dispel my darkness Psalm 18:28, GNT).

Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life” (John 8:12, CEV).

Just as it is with lighthouses, we have a God who also is both a warning light and a welcoming light. One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to warn us about the pitfalls that could potentially cause us to stumble in our lives. You know that feeling you get, the one that says “beware” or “stay clear,” or that thing in your conscience that tells you what is right and wrong, that is the Holy Spirit warning you. John 16:13 tells us that the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth.

And God always welcomes us into His presence, regardless of where we have been, or what we have done. He invites you in for the first time, and he invites you back time and time again. Revelation 22:17 talks of God’s invitation to come to Him without cost.

Just a ship follows a light to ensure safe passage, we too need to rely on God’s Word to guide us through the enlightening of the Holy Spirit.

So, today, I encourage you to allow God to be your lighthouse. Let Him be the Light that warns you of rough and dangerous seas and let that same Light welcome you into safe waters of the calm, peaceful, and tranquil lake.

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