“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6
Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of classic books like Treasure Island, spent his childhood in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the 19th century. As a boy, Robert was intrigued by the work of the old lamplighters who went about with a ladder and a torch, setting the street lights ablaze for the night. One evening, as young Robert stood watching with fascination, his parents asked him, “Robert, what in the world are you looking at out there?” With great excitement he exclaimed, “Look at that man! He’s punching holes in the darkness!” (Hearings, Volume 1, Aid to Fine Arts, pg. 177, US Congress, 1961)
We live in a very dark world. It was darkened the moment sin entered into it in the Garden of Eden, and it continues to blacken our world. Once, the darkness of sin was so thick that the Lord had to directly intervene. He did so by sending rain for the first time on this planet. Thick black clouds occluded the sunshine as water destroyed all land animals and nearly everyone on earth. When this judgment was over, God “punched a hole in the darkness” with His glorious rainbow that spanned the sky and promised “Never again!”
Throughout the ages, there have been additional periods of sinful darkness, waxing and waning over time as wickedness and evil manifested themselves in every nook and cranny of humanity, but through them all, there have been godly lamplighters punching holes in the darkness through which the light of the gospel would shine. You might be familiar with some of them… Jonathan Edwards, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Elisabeth Elliot, and so many others. In fact, if you look to your left or right on Sunday morning, while you’re sitting in your pew, I think you’ll see a few more lamplighters for Christ ready to punch holes into the darkness of sin whenever the need arises!
How can you tell who is a lamplighter for Jesus? Lamplighters punch holes in the darkness when they…
- radiate joy through the hard times
- forgive those who’ve wronged them
- help those in need
- pass on an encouraging word
- sing praises despite having a broken heart
- trust God no matter what
- walk in the footsteps of Jesus
- share Christ with others
My dear friend, Mrs. Dody Hall wrote this poem that tells how you can be a lamplighter for Jesus.
Punching Holes in the Darkness
I’m punching holes in the darkness
By the way I live each day,
I’ll live my life for Jesus,
I’ll trust Him come what may,
Shining His light around me,
No matter what the cost,
I’m punching holes in the darkness,
For the souls that might be lost.
“For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.” Psalm 18:28
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Do you see a lamplighter for the Lord when you look into the mirror?