Reflection for the Month – August

‘The Light of the World’ is the name by which the famous painting by William Holman Hunt is known. Jesus Christ is depicted holding a bright lantern and standing outside a cottage door. There is no handle on the door, it can be opened only from the inside. This powerful image shows Christ, ever present, is ready to enter, ready to shed His light into our lives but it is we who must move to open the door of our hearts and minds to let Him in.

John wrote this section of Revelations (Ch 3 v 20) to the Laodiceans. They were rich and complacent, taken up with the pleasures of this world, money, possessions, secure and rather indifferent to the church and to God. Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts and wants us to open up to Him. He is always patient, not breaking and entering, but knocking. We are free to decide whether or not to open our lives to Him, but what a difference it will make if we do. His light will illuminate all of the dark spaces that trouble us and make our happier times shine more brightly.