Phil Rowlands

Hello my friends!

This morning, as I woke up, the Lord just gently said the words, “a city on a hill.” So, I thought I might explore that in today's writing.

Of course, as soon as I got a chance, I pulled up the scripture with those specific words in it. In Matthew 5:14-16, we read, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

There are a few considerations here to explore: letting your light shine in a way that it's not hidden and that being the Father's work in you which glorifies Him.

We all have a light in us, and that is the spirit of God, which houses the new creation person that we are. This spirit, the Holy Spirit, that contains our new creation person, although seated in Christ at the right hand of the Father in heaven, on earth, resides within our earthen vessel, our bodies, that one day will be glorified just as our spiritual person has been.

We all have different and unique plans and purposes for our lives here on earth, and according to the glorious riches we have in Christ Jesus, we have giftings that the Father predestined for us to walk in. Those giftings, by the way, are fully resourced by the Father; there is nothing lacking in them. Of course, we grow in these gifts just as a baby begins to crawl, then walk, and then a child begins to dart here and there with agility. So, we grow in these gifts as we exercise them, as we use them.

I don't know what your gifts are, but I believe the Lord's will for you is to let these gifts shine wherever, in whatever way, in a natural and organic way, an unforced way. A way that just seems fluid for you, a way that isn't stressful or like a chore.

We can hide these gifts, as mentioned in the scripture, and put them under a basket instead of putting them on a lampstand. But this is also according to God's will and plan for your life. We have seasons: seasons for gathering ourselves that are restorative and refreshing, and seasons where we are more prominent or available or noticeable to those around us. Both are good; the Father would prefer you to be cold or hot rather than lukewarm. This means that cold is good as it refers to a cold spring that is refreshing and restorative, or a hot spring that is invigorating and gets your blood moving, but not a mixture of both, lukewarm, which is trying to shine when it's of the flesh and not in the spirit.

We can shine in the tiniest of ways or in ways with a greater magnitude and reach, but all are equal to our Father in heaven, provided that they are of Him, of His work, and not something that we are trying to do because we think we should do something.

I'm naturally an introvert and have limited physical or emotional energy to put into things, and God knows that. For many years, I was into striving and trying to do things for God rather than with God. This burned me out in the end, well, with the addition of all the striving I did carrying the burdens of this life on my own instead of laying them at the feet of Jesus and taking on His yoke, which once realized and assumed is wonderfully easy.

So, these days, I just like to wander along in the unforced rhythms of grace, being patient, having a prayerful and listening ear to what the Lord's will is for me, and how I need to go about life, especially when it comes to His work and ministry and letting His light shine in my family and amongst the communities that I reside in.

I suppose my encouragement for readers today is to be open to shining your light, using the gifts and talents that you have. It might be giving an encouraging message to someone or a phone call of support. It might be throwing a little bit of caution to the wind and stepping into something that you feel you would be well placed to shine in but may have been a bit reserved in the past to do so. Our Father in heaven wants us all to shine, as we are His light in this ever-darkening world. We shine His light, speak His words, and minister His gospel.

Collectively, we are His glorious Church, the body of Christ, and our shininess glorifies our Father in Heaven. He sees you as good and faithful and the apple of His eye; you are His beloved, and He is well pleased with you. The Father just loves you, so, so much; it's immeasurable, really, how much He loves you.

Be blessed today, my shiny, and spirit-filled new creation brothers and sisters. Be that city on the hill in your family, be that city on the hill in your workplace, be that city on the hill in your church family, and most importantly, be that city on the hill in your own life, to yourself, as you are more than a conqueror, and you are blessed to be a blessing.

Phil