Jottings

by J. Miller | Category: Jottings | May 1932

While making my way on a Lord's day morning recently to the meeting of the assembly, at the corner of a street I noticed that one of the street lamps had not been extinguished. The sun was shining brilliantly, putting the two electric lamps out of service completely. The street lamp, the usefulness of which is beyond question at night, had served its purpose for the time being and had the attendant done his duty he would have withdrawn its rays from entering into an uneven competition with glorious rays of the sun.

While I walked on, my mind began to contemplate the message of this lighted lamp, and I thought of the night of testimony during which it is ours to let our light shine before men, according to the Lord's words to His disciples. Paul, too, in his letter to the Philippians touches upon the same truth: "That ye may be blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life" (Philippians 2, 15, 16). Soon our usefulness as lights in the world will be gone, and when the Sun of Righteousness arises His light will extinguish the light of all witnesses.

How soon, after the manifestation of Christ in the days of His flesh, John the Baptist began to fade; and this he acknowledged was the fitting end of his witness-bearing-"He must increase and I must decrease." This was the great man's humble testimony to the greater Light. The Lord and John could never compete, and Herod was permitted to extinguish John who was the lamp that burned and shone, in whose light they were willing to rejoice for a season.

It is a matter for thought that Peter, spontaneous and eloquent, never preached to the multitude in the Lord's presence, nor did any of the rest of the apostles; they were overshadowed in the Divine presence. Their light was comparable to the street lamp shining in the sunshine. But there came the time when Peter did speak and speak to purpose, but the Lord was absent then. The day of Pentecost saw the searching rays of Peter's testimony penetrate to the innermost parts of the Jewish populace in Jerusalem, and about 8,000 responded and were guided by this light into the path of righteousness.

The message of the street lamp may appear mediocre or even trivial, but it touches great truths when applied to our present opportunities and to the Lord's coming and His presence amongst men.

J. Miller | May 1932
Jottings