Let the lower lights be burning!

The last few mornings as I have woken up, I have had this song running through my mind.  It's not a familiar hymn so I had to do some searching to find it.  I really like the message of it.  Let me tell you the background of it.

Many years ago a ship was trying to make it in to a harbor in the dark.  There was a light house with it's beacon shining, but there were no "lower lights". The captain asked: “Where are the lower lights?” “Gone out, sir,” replied the pilot.  “Can you make the harbor, then?” asked the captain, to which the pilot answered: “We must, sir, or perish.”  (read the story here:  http://www.plymouthbrethren.org/article/10378)

Well, they didn't make it!  The ship wrecked and many died.  When a man heard about this, he wrote the song that is on page 335 of the hymn book.  As you read it, think of the light house as being Christ and we, his helpers, are the lower lights:

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy
From His lighthouse evermore,
But to us He gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.

Chorus:

Let the lower lights be burning!
Send a gleam across the wave!
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

I have been thinking about this a lot.  Christ always has his light shining for us and wants us to come to him.  Sometimes there are rocky harbours that we must pass through.  It helps to have "lights" closer to the shore to lead us along.  We are those lights.  We can help those around us to see our light and lead them along the way.  We may rescue!  We may save!

We took this picture today as we left church in Vieux Fort, St Lucia.  That is a light house, high on the hill.  We hope you will always try to head straight for the light house and let the lower lights lead you along.

We love YOU!!!