Lighthouses.
They have always fascinated me, and it isn’t for nothing that the lighthouse is the symbol of this ministry.
The Peggy’s Cove lighthouse, on the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, seemed to speak to me anew. As it sits, towering on a bed of rock, looking out over the Atlantic Ocean, it is a true icon of strength and hope. Lost at sea, a ship would be able to navigate by this lighthouse, and even on land, anyone lost or alone would be able to follow the light to find their way. The lighthouse isn’t easily missed, after all, and you are never truly alone as long as there is a lighthouse.
But wait. I wasn’t feeling alone. Why would this beacon bring me comfort? I wasn’t lost at sea, I wasn’t even alone on the path that led to the tower. I was, in fact, surrounded by people! So what good was this lighthouse to me?
Or was I alone? I looked around, and my wife had wandered away to take pictures from a different angle, and all of the other people around me were basically ignoring me… Perhaps I was more alone than I thought I was…
This all reminds me of our walk with God. He is our Beacon when we are lost, our strong Tower in times of storm. He is our comfort when we are alone. Our problem is, we don’t always realize when we need Him! Just like I wasn’t necessarily noticing that I was alone, we can be lost, adrift, and be completely unaware of this fact! In fact, the moments we feel that we are alone are the times when we are truly blessed, because it is only when we feel we are alone that we seek God! The rest of the time, we don’t tend to seek Him. We may know He is there, but our hearts don’t yearn for Him!
I believe this is most true in the good times of our lives. It is usually when things are going bad that we realize we need God, that we are alone without Him; but when things are going good, it is pretty easy to forget all about Him, or at the very least, to stop relying upon Him. After all, why should we? And so we rely on ourselves, living our lives as if we have no need of God…
Meanwhile, He is there, shining out His light, calling us to Him, promising us a better life…
But how can He give us a better life than when things appear to be going well?
The answer lies in Psalms 16:11: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Ps. 16:11 NIV). It is in God’s presence that we receive direction and eternal pleasures. It is only in His presence that we are filled with utmost joy!
The next time you see a lighthouse, remember this: God is ALWAYS there, ESPECIALLY when we don’t think we need Him! In fact, those are the times when we need Him the most because when we don’t rely 100% on God, we are the most vulnerable to the devil’s traps! Take the opportunity to press in to Him! Give Him your day, your heart, your plans, your dreams! Spend time just enjoying the presence of the most High God, for it is in His presence that we have fullness of joy!
In His love,
Rob Chaffart
Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries