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A Light In God's House
There is the story of the rich man who decided to donate a new church building in the country, close to his huge farm. While the building was being constructed, he always read the Bible before bedtime. One night, he came to this passage: “Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the next day; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together” (Acts 20.8).
No one saw the complete plans for the building until it was finished. When the people gathered, they marveled at its beauty. Then someone asked, “But where is the electricity? How will it be lighted?” The man pointed to some brackets in the walls.
Then he gave each family a lamp, asking them to bring these with them each time they came to worship. “Each time you worship, the area where you are seated will be lighted,” the man said. “Each time you are not here, that area will be dark. This is to remind you that whenever you fail to assemble with your brethren, some part of God’s house will be dark and dreary.
“You are to be a light in God’s house for building up the church. And not only that, but Jesus said that you were everything the world needed for guidance and good. ‘You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.’ As a Christian, your importance is too great in the world to be wasted on self” (cf. Matthew 5.13-14).
