No Source of Light

I stepped outside early this morning and immediately noticed the glow.

A marine layer had settled over everything, leaving the sky covered by a thin veil of clouds. But somehow, the full moon was breaking through.

It wasn’t as brilliant as it would have been on a perfectly clear night. There was a softness to it. A haze. And yet the light was still penetrating the clouds and illuminating the backyard.

I just stood there looking at it.

And then I was reminded of something remarkable:

The moon has no light of its own.

None.

Everything I was seeing this morning—the glow, the illumination, the light breaking through the marine layer—was reflected light.

The moon was simply reflecting the sun.

And I began thinking about heaven.

In Revelation, John gives us this incredible glimpse of the New Jerusalem:

“The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” — Revelation 21:23

There will come a day when we will no longer need the S-U-N.

Because we will be completely illuminated by the S-O-N.

Think about that.

No darkness.

No shadows.

Nothing standing between us and the fullness of God’s glory.

Cancer—gone.

Pain—gone.

Unforgiveness—gone.

Regret and remorse—gone.

Pride—gone.

Every wound healed.

Every sin forgiven.

Every stain cleansed.

Every tear wiped away.

Nothing left to obstruct the light.

As I stood there this morning, I also thought about Moses.

He was tending sheep when he saw something he couldn’t explain—a bush burning with fire, yet not consumed. As Moses approached, God called to him:

“Do not come near. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.” — Exodus 3:5

Holy ground.

Can you imagine what it will be like when we stand completely in the presence of God?

No veil.

No haze.

Nothing between us and Him.

Just awe.

But here’s what struck me this morning:

We don’t have to wait for heaven to begin reflecting His light.

Jesus said:

“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16

Our light was never meant to originate with us.

Just like the moon, we are reflectors.

The moon doesn’t strain to produce light. It doesn’t wake up and decide that it needs to shine brighter today.

It simply reflects the source.

What if our lives worked the same way?

Imagine your life as a lighthouse.

The light is already there. Christ lives within us. But between that light and the people around us is a lens.

And sometimes I wonder how many fingerprints I put on that lens.

My opinions.

My frustrations.

My impatience.

My pride.

My need to be right.

My disappointments.

My expectations of other people.

One fingerprint after another.

The Source hasn’t changed.

The light hasn’t diminished.

But I’ve allowed something to get in the way of its reflection.

This morning, even through the marine layer, the moonlight was still getting through. The clouds softened it, but they couldn’t completely stop it.

And maybe that’s the invitation for today.

Clean the lens.

Get ourselves out of the way.

Let His love shine.

Let His grace shine.

Let His forgiveness shine.

Let His kindness shine.

Let His hope shine.

Not so people notice us, but so that—as Jesus said—they see something in our lives and glorify our Father in heaven.

One day there will be no need for the sun or the moon.

God’s glory will illuminate everything, and the Lamb will be its light.

But until that day, you and I have been given the extraordinary privilege of reflecting that Light into a world that desperately needs it.

So maybe the question isn’t:

How brightly am I shining?

Maybe the better question is:

How clearly am I reflecting?

Because I am not the source.

Neither are you.

We simply get to reflect the One who is.

Live Ready. Let His light shine.