Celebrating Faith: The lighthouse

A lighthouse stands alone, centuries pass, storms make land, night falls and still the lighthouse remains a constant visual for sea goers. A storm brews over the ocean, the waves swell and begin to crash the shore bringing in each wave sediment from the ocean floor. The lighthouse, too, takes a pounding...the waves now 15 feet crash along its base and the winds break branches upon its lookout tower. With all the turbulence and chaos, the lighthouse remains constant, circling its light that ships may get their bearings. One ship, unaware of the pending storm, was still at sea when the storm began. The ship is tossed about like a raft in the wake of a small pool and the crew is terrified. With no navigation, the crew unable to locate land; the ship is at the mercy of the seas. Just when all hope was about to be lost, one crew member sees the light from the lighthouse and shouts, "Land!" The crew now petrified for the size of the waves, the strength of the winds compounded with the weight of the ship makes for a disastrous ending. A small life boat on board the ship may be their only hope. Though it is a long shot, it is one the crew is willing to take. They lower the boat and begin getting tossed even more violently, taking on water the crew think this to be their demise; but just then a huge wave carries them toward the lighthouse. Crashing into shore the crew is bruised but all are safe. Quickly, they return to their feet and enter the lighthouse, this will be their safe haven to weather the storm. Several days pass and the men exit the lighthouse only to find debris scattered among the sand. Trees uprooted, boats tossed on land, some in trees; wood and roofing from nearby houses covers the beach and in the distance white metal reflects the sun, blinding one man. Curious, he walks toward the blinding light only to discover their ship, the very ship they had abandoned, in hundreds of pieces blanketing the beach; obviously destroyed on impact and had they remained with the ship, that day would have been their last. The man returns to the lighthouse and informs the rest of the crew of his findings; all of the men are grateful for the lighthouse for if they had not seen its light, they would have remained with their ship and come to the end of their lives.

God is our lighthouse, His light is always visible; whether there be turbulent winds, heavy rains, blinding sun or blistery weather, God is our beacon to truth, to love, to joy and to peace. We just need to open our hearts that we may see His light, feel His light for it is life giving. There are times in our lives when storms hit, a spouse loses a job, a family member falls ill or a teenager gets into trouble with the law; it is easy to forget our grounding and attempt to "fix" the situation via our own pride. Why do we fight? Why do we struggle? Why do we let our ego get in the way of our sight? God, ever visible, ever willing to help, is the lighthouse in front of our path yet we often deem it an obstacle and attempt passage around the lighthouse. Just as the ship was tossed about in the storm, we get tossed about by life. Life swells, the pressures of daily life appear to toss us about the seas while the winds blow causing us to almost capsize. Hope abandoned as life becomes every man/woman for him/herself. Just at the moment of despair a glimpse of light appears and, like the crew, we have a choice, to drown in our despair or abandon ship to follow the light; both options frightening for the point of surrender seems imminent and jumping into unchartered waters with swells above our standing...simply petrifying. Petrifying until the light become recognizable as a force from the heart, a force of the heart...God, Himself. Faith opens our eyes to this light that we may have the courage to abandon ship, a sinking ship of pride, ego and worry. Once abandoned, our burdens become light and life no longer a monotony of dead end choices and painful regrets; but rather a unblemished ray of hope, ray of love, ray of joy, and ray of peace for the Father's light shone into our hearts and we made it to land safely. Yes, along the road of life, we become bruised even require a few stitches now and then or an occasional need for a casting of broken bones all of which heal due to the Father's unconditional love and our ability to listen, to feel. The winds still blow but we have the protection of the Father, into His arms we crawl, for His arms ever open to His children. God our beacon that we may find our way home.

Inscribed on the lighthouse reads:

"Let the light of God fill your life with peace

Turn your face to the sun that the rays may bring you warmth

And love may be your home