If you know me, you know that my taste in Christian music is more contemporary. I love praise chorus and the more modern hymns, but there is one old gospel song that I remember from my childhood. My mother watched religious broadcasts on TV, and this song was on quite often. The chorus of that song, The Lighthouse wrote by Ronny Hinson, still rings in my head from time to time.

“And I thank God for The Lighthouse, I owe my life to Him.
Jesus is The Lighthouse and from the rocks of sin,
He has shown the light around me, so that I might clearly see.
If it wasn't for The Lighthouse, Where would this ship be?”

Light is one of the most prevalent images in the Bible. In the Old Testament, God led by a pillar of fire in the dark of night. In the New Testament, John 8:12 says, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” 

Because Jesus is the light of the world, and we are to be like him, we are also to be light to a dark world. In researching the history of lighthouses, I found that the before there were actual building structures that contain light to guide the ships to shore that a fire would be lit on a hilltop as a signal to incoming vessels.  In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus teaches his followers,“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 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.Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

These verses were part of the passage of scripture known as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus was teaching his disciples on a mountainside. Can’t you just see Jesus turn around and point to the top of that mount as delivers this part of his message? He is telling them that he wants them to be the light that leads others to him.

He has the same message for us today. Be thankful for the Lighthouse. Take a moment and think about where your ship would be without him and then be the light that guides others to Jesus.

“The Lordis my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lordis the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1) (KJV)