Sanctified Saturday- Light of the world

Good morning! What a beautiful day! What a blessing from God to wake up and be in peace. As I drove to church this beautiful Saturday morning, I was looking at the sky. So blue with the sun shining bright. I can feel the warmth from the sun this morning and it jogged my thoughts. We are to be the light of the world. Truly shining for others in this dark world full of sorrow. The people around us should feel Christ's warmth. They should see His love and compassion toward us. The way we treat others should make them feel warmth to their soul as the sun gives warmth to our bones. Little give thought to the Sanctuary that is found in the old testament but it is found in the new testament as well. In the Sanctuary, we find articles in the Holy Place. One of those articles is the candlestick. We read in Exodus 25:31, "And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made......." Let us contemplate what is being said in scripture. Gold is not pure in it's natural form. It must go through a refining process through high heat temperatures. To form the candle sticks the gold needed to go through the high heat process while being shaped by a beating process. Once the candlestick went through this process it was set in the Holy Place to give this compartment light in the darkness. Without this article there would have been no light. The candlestick had seven branches. Revelation chapter 1:12-20 states that these branches represents the seven churches. Each member of the church is to represent this candlestick. We are to be purified through our trials and temptations of daily life. It read in scripture 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. You and I are more precious than gold to God. Therefore, let us rejoice through our trials and lay them at Jesus' feet. Let us be shaped as the candlestick in the Sanctuary in order to allow light to shine in this dark, sin-sick world. Matthew 5:15-17 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

-Sheila Williams & Micah Zummach