Let your Light Shine His Beauty

I am always amazed at the beauty of Creation. Every facet of this world reveals a depth of God’s character for us to discover. The delicate snowflake pulls my gaze and steals my attention immediately upon descent. Although I am a Midwestern Native by birth, I think my heart feels like I belong closer to the equator. That said, however, I do love the snuggling under the quilts and the quietness winter’s weather often forces upon the inhabitants. No matter what our plans, usually they are interrupted or cancelled all together and we are forced to reconsider, or just submit to the change with grace.

I digress…

If it weren’t for the extreme cold, I’ve often thought my intrigue with the ice-crystal’s grandeur would draw me to study and capture each graduated layer of its organized construction. I remember reading the story of “Snowflake Bentley” to my children when we first started homeschooling . The first ‘snowday’ of the season would have us rearranging our schedule with joyful shouting and giggling. We would sit down, read the book about that historic snowflake master, sometimes, make snowflake cookies or perhaps build a bowl of ‘snow-cream’. My goodness.. it is amazing how scrumptious the simple ice crystal is with the milk and sugar we added.

In my effort to capture the beauty on the lens of my camera, at times, I would place black construction paper in the freezer ‘waiting’ for the snow to fall just so I could catch a flake and snap a picture before it could melt. Once in a while I would remember that I put it in there and catch a few. Or, usually, I forgot completely and ended up throwing the paper away once it was spring with nothing solid to show for my hoping. Again, my plan and what happened didn’t always align together.

Why the story of the snowflake misadventure? I have been pondering the path of my planning and how easily it is that I tend to be distracted from the plan. I can plan well, but sometimes it just doesn’t come together the way it should and I get frustrated. I forget that there is ONE who has seen my days from their end and organizes and orchestrates every part of my living. (Psalm139) In these moments my lampstand is not always burning brightly, unfortunately.

This Christmas I found a window cling that sparkled with the beveled beauty inherent in the sculptured snowflake. When the light caught the mirrored images, a reflection of color would dance and extend outward with abandon. The stems of the snowflake move away from the center reaching for the edges, and when I study the structure I observed how the light tumbled through the open spaces. The white shimmer begins to cascade through and over the design creating a shadow that highlighted illumination in shining brilliance. It takes my breath away every time. I confess.. I like shiny things.

I wish I was better at decorating and/or homemaking than I really am. Honestly, some days I just get by, but that is another discussion for another day. In the busy-ness of the day I sometimes forget to take in the beauty that is all around, take a break, and bask in the simple artistry that light sheds upon creation.

As I carefully situated the snowflake on my window, perfectly placed to catch a rainbow ray of radiation, I felt the pleasure of the Father. In the recess of my heart I began to appreciate the beauty of the moment and embrace the glorious gift of light. I remembered, then, the importance of being a light that shines. His light shining in me bounces off my many layers (flaws and all) to radiate His beauty and purpose for others to see.

Matthew 5:14-16 : You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

He taught me through the glorious radiance of a snowflake that no matter what, we each have a propensity to radiate beauty in our lives. That window sticker reminded me of the importance to shine love and light into my home so that my family will know that I serve them out of a love for my Heavenly Father, … even when I am tired and perhaps don’t want to serve.

I encourage you to try an experiment:

Go into a dark room, completely dark, with a flashlight. A closet is a great place to try this.
Once inside, turn on the flashlight and watch what happens.
The darkness is pushed aside and can not overtake the light displayed. The entrance of His light in us works the same way.

John 8:12 says, ” I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the LIGHT which is LIFE.

Sometimes, though, we have to LOOK to the light to truly see its path. When we look at the path our eyes are then taken off of our circumstances and lifted up. Transcendent of the depth, darkness draws our eyes down; light lifts our vision heavenward to hope and faith filled by reverential wonder.

Today I want to challenge you to go find your own window snowflake to adhere to the glass transparencies in your own lives.(or whatever it is that makes you smile) Let the light filter into the rooms of your heart to fill you and warm you with radiant rays of glory. Let your eyes be lifted upwards, your memories filled with the laughter of heaven and the hope of eternity in your circumstances, so that He will be glorified in everything you encounter.