Lent Day 33: Little Lamps and Lighthouses

On this thirty-third . . .

33? 

Really? 

Thank You, Lord, for feeding us on the road!

 . . . lenten morning, my journey leads me to a particular passage shared below:

"The Lord said to Moses, 

'Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light 

so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. 

Outside the curtain of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, 

Aaron is to tend the lamps before the Lord from evening till morning, continually. 

This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 

The lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord 

must be tended continually' "

(Leviticus 24:1-4, NIV).

I am grateful that I am privy to a charge the Lord gave to Moses so many years ago, a charge that still stands today. He told Moses to speak to Israel -- we are now included in this chosen family through faith in Christ Jesus -- and to command His people "to bring clear oil of pressed olives."

Why pressed olives? 

We are told through history and geography that olive trees can grow in soil where most other plants do not have a chance. They do quite well in rocky, sun-baked, unproductive soil -- it turns out that the Garden of Gethsemane was indeed an ideal place for olive trees. What is even more fascinating is this: the word Gethsemane stands for "oil press" -- a process that speaks of intense squeezing.

Olives are crushed, heavily crushed.

The crushing releases a particular liquid, a reddish liquid.

Combined with twigs, leaves, and dirt, the liquid becomes a paste.

Pressed further and harder, the olive paste begins to separate leaving pure oil.

It is this precious oil that was needed for the light inside the Temple. According to the Old covenant, it was Aaron’s responsibility to set up the lamps so they would burn throughout the night before the Lord’s presence. After his death, the following generations were to continually see to it that the lamps had enough oil to keep burning without ceasing. Tending the lamps in this way was to be an important, indefinite, and uninterrupted task.

What about us?

What does that say to you and me?

Could it be that the Lord wants our self-made and self-serving attempts to be demolished and crushed? Could the reddish liquid that is released from such crushing be the point made by the writer of Hebrews, "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood" (12:4, NIV)? Could it be that the Lord wants us to be aware of our tendency to mix our Christian walk with twigs, leaves, and dirt that contaminate the pure worship He desires from us? Could it be that, under the Holy Spirit' s conviction and instruction, true brokenness and contrition will separate the junk from the clear, pure oil of our worship of Christ?  

Under the New covenant, we who profess to believe in Christ—the Light of the world—have inherited His presence and power through the Holy Spirit. As such, we, too, are light. In fact, Paul admonishes us to “live as children of light; for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph. 5:8-9). We are, thus, a multitude of little lamps, ignited from His flame and set on a hill for onlookers and observers to see. 

We are lighthouses that shine in the dark, preventing ships from potential wrecks.

In order for us to burn and shine brightly, the Lord bids us come to Him and partake of the holy oil of His precious Word and of His Holy Spirit. At times, our flames burn low because we either forget to RSVP or fail to honor His invitation. However, God’s grace is so generous that, as long as we trust in Christ and turn to Him, He will not extinguish us but will rekindle us and set our hearts ablaze for worship.

And worship is the continual, ceaseless, never-ending activity of the angels who currently dwell in God’s presence singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Such is their response to God’s magnificent glory. 

Might we, too, join that angelic choir? 

What is our response during this lifelong Lent? 

Again, Paul offers us an example of a continual task found in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray continually.” It is this continual, uninterrupted task that Jesus modeled for and taught His disciples. It was this very practice that occupied His time in the garden of Gethsemane and carried Him through the excruciating death He endured. So, as little lamps and lighthouses representing Christ, let us pray and implore the Father to grant us a fresh touch of His power, fresh oil from His Holy Spirit, and fresh fire from His unending love. May our worship of Him never end! May we embark upon this journey of endless discovery of who Christ is—the ultimate Source of all that is right and good!

Lord, You have called us to holiness, brokenness, faithfulness, righteousness . . . Thank You for Your kindness, goodness, and forgiveness. Thank You for being crushed and pressed on the Cross in our stead. Thank You for releasing the reddish liquid, Your precious blood shed freely for all who believe in You. Thank You for making it possible for us to rest secure in the hope of Your continual, uninterrupted task of intercession for, sanctification of, and purification within Your bride. Thank You! Thank You! Thank you!