Josephine Mary Schmidt

A Place of Refuge for the Soul

light

A light has dawned, have you seen it?

the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Matthew 4:16)

This whole world lives under the shadow of death, but Jesus is calling each one of us to step out and embrace Him, the light that appeared like the dawn.

Dawn is the beginning of a new day. And Jesus promises that we will become new when we believe and put our faith in Him. “You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Jesus, the Son of God who came down from the Father of all lights to give life, eternal, everlasting life to all who will believe, pick up their cross and follow Him.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24 NLT).

Powerful words to be remembered
Jesus spoke these words to me one day when I was struggling with discouragement.

What does pick up your cross mean? I prayed about understanding a while back. Jesus came to the cross sinless. We are to take up this same cross, be dead to sin’s ways, leave our old, sinful lives behind and follow His. Sin must no longer reign over us. Jesus is to take this role and place. Freedom is in Jesus, who defeated the powers of death and everything associated with sin – the devil, trickery, obstinance. Obstinance is a characteristic of being impossibly stubborn. We will walk on the other victory side of the cross with Jesus – risen and glorified – that power can be ours today if we believe and have faith in Him.

How do we have faith? Believe that His Words spoken are truth and put them in action. Don’t be like a blind person who hears but then walks away because they can’t see.

The words in the photo Jesus spoke to me on a day when I was discouraged. He reminded me He is the power of life, light, and the way I should follow – not looking to myself, but to the light that appeared out of the darkness like the dawn. Every day is a new day with Jesus when we trust Him and put our hope in His promises. Both will never fail. God says it’s His Word that will endure forever, and Jesus is alive forever-more! What better hope to put our trust! – Show the world that you’ve stepped out from that blanket of darkness and death and received life and the love of God through Christ. I hope that’s encouragement!

Lamps are Generous

When we want to stay angry about something, or even if we don’t know why we are mad, it’s just a fact that we want to remain angry, then we are refusing the grace God wants to give us. 

My husband made the comment yesterday when we were out driving; “People are just angry, and they are driving like they are angry.” Drivers in California have got faster, weaving through traffic, making foolish decisions, cutting people off, and, well, driving like they want to run you off the road. It’s dangerous and frightening! 

Traffic on the San Diego Freeway
Traffic on the freeway in Los Angeles.

This increase in fast, angry, foolish drivers reminds me of what Jesus said the end times would be like – lawlessness would increase, and because it was, the love of many would grow cold. (Matthew 24:12) But this isn’t the way Christians are traveling. And our fruit, what’s developing and growing from our “tree,” us, tells others who we are. Are your eyes full of God’s generous Spirit? Or are you being taken over and being led along by darkness? Jesus warned when talking about lamps that we must make sure the light in us isn’t actually darkness. If our eyes were generous or healthy, then all of us would be full of light. 

  • Pottery Tea Candle Holder
  • car door open gorgeous light in background

We are to proclaim the goodness of God. But if our eyes are looking down on others, angry, complaining, and not focused on Jesus and His surrendered, gracious life, then we are fools living a life that doesn’t reflect our Master. 

Some days I want to get angry. But I know, immediately, that it’s a foothold for the Devil to get his hooks in us and make us look bad. I don’t belong to his kingdom, and I certainly want the light of life reflecting through me in every decision and attitude I display. 

A LAMP turned on to show light
A lamp is turned on to give light. Has Jesus granted you His Spirit, lit His flame in you? Then shine to those around you.

It takes courage to trust Jesus in every situation when the world around us is raging forward, seemingly winning with its display of anger and aggression, pushing the simple, or generous, aside. God doesn’t care for these proud, arrogant people. And I am always astounded at some of the actions of other drivers on the road or of the mouths of others I hear. But we are not to think they have the upper hand, and we must pray that our light and love penetrates their hearts before it’s too late and Jesus returns to set up His kingdom with an iron rod that will take no-nonsense. We must learn patience and endurance, and kindness. Pray to be filled with God’s generous spirit and our eyes healthy – looking on Christ and all He’s done and taught and not the error of this world. 

A lamp is lit and then place on a stand. Remember, you were once darkness, but now you are light. And that Jesus is coming back. Then Who we are will then be clearly revealed to all. Use eyes of generosity and love to make sure no darkness is found in you. 

Lamps are generous. I’ve never thought of it this way before. They give light to others so that they can see and not bump into things or be hindered by darkness. Lamps don’t demand anything back. They just need to be plugged in!

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,[b] your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you,” (Luke 11:33-36).

[a] – generous

[b] – stingy

A pottery tea candle holder with the words shine on it
I made this simple tea candle light holder to remind myself to be light in this world that is fast heading to destruction.