You have lived, breathed, and walked in the Light, and the Light promised never to abandon you. Born in a lowly manger, the Light was Jesus Christ, who came to serve the world as His Father’s beloved Son. When you had doubts or fears, He wanted you to follow Him. In the silence, where did He lead you? He led me to the sea, where I saw Him calm the troubled waters and where He breathed the Holy Spirit into my lungs. When you arrived to meet Him, you were not leading Him; He was leading you. You committed to follow Him, but there is more to believing than just seeing. Unconditional love filled you heart, and you knew you must follow.
In your heart, nothing was impossible with God. You always remembered how you felt the first time you met Him, and you were re-born. Do not let this world destroy His Light in you; He will remain in you forever. This will not be an easy life for you; there will times when you feel that you cannot carry any more troubles. In that time, remember that He is standing beside you, guiding you on the good and gracious road. When you commune at your church, He forgives your sins with the bread and the wine.
He gave Himself for you from the time He was born until the time when He died. His suffering was your suffering. Do not be afraid; He will be with you always, in your coming in and your going out. When you saw Him on the cross, did you not die, too? And like Him, were you not resurrected, too? When you returned to your family of friends, was there not a newness of you?
You were made perfect on that day, and the sun will never rise again in the same way or in the same place. Your ears, eyes, heart, and mind became His on Easter, and you will be changed forever. His Light will remain within you until the end of days. So, follow Him; make this world a beautiful place where peace, hope, love, light, and grace abide.
As you walk your paths with Jesus and approach your Eternal home, know that God awaits you with open arms. He knows you well as you have strayed from time to time, but His unconditional love will forgive all transgressions. Like a loving Shepherd, He will seek you out when you walk a crumbled road and bring you back into the fold. For now, what will you do? Will you pray … listen … follow? Will you take the Gospel into the world so that others may know His Light and His love that pulls you closer to Him every day? In these troubled times where it is hard to find His Light amid the darkness, lead on, oh King Eternal, and we will follow.
Anna Hartt
