A City On A Hill

Jesus was speaking to thousands of people when He declared that if you are a follower of His, that, “You are the salt of the earth… and you are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).

What is it that makes us salt and light? The living Gospel. Only this message, that Christ came to save sinners, to do away with the old person we once were, and to make all things new, destroying the grip of darkness that once enslaved us, and providing a path of righteousness forward, into eternity, is true Life and Light. It’s no different than throwing a lifesaver off the titanic to those that are drowning.

To be the bearers of this Life message is a privilege like no other. But the decaying morals of society hate the preserving salt! And the works of evil that “love the darkness more than the light because their works were evil,” despise the revealing Light. Jesus made it clear, “because they have hated Me, they will hate you.” But this hate never gives us the license to stop being messengers of Truth and Life. We carry on.

Scripture tells us of another City that shines with the light of the Lamb (Revelation 21:23). This is our Heavenly Home, where our hearts and souls will find perfect rest. Our bodies will no longer be weary, but eternal and glorified. Even Abraham, who lived 2000 years before Christ, looked past the trials of this life to that Golden City…  “For he was (waiting expectantly and confidently) looking forward to the City that has foundations (an eternal, Heavenly city), whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10 Amp).

Dear ones, take courage that one day soon, your job as a city on a hill, shining His light and dispersing His preserving salt, will come to an end, as the angels of Heaven escort us to the True City on a Hill, where we live in His presence, never to be apart again, where there is fullness of joy, forevermore. We know it’s not far away… we can almost hear the angelic worship… May we keep our eyes lifted up towards Home.

(Devotional by Cheryl Hall-Laos)