Several years ago I was on a much-needed vacation on the coast of Southern Maine, far away from my home in Tennessee. The church where I work and attend had opened the doors of our new home only two weeks prior to that vacation. We had stepped out at the Lord’s leading and bought a rundown warehouse and had spent the better part of a year completing renovations. Only one day into my vacation, a heavy band of summer storms tore through the city where I live and all of the downtown area received heavy flooding. Our church, after only two Sundays, began to flood. It was so bad that raw sewage pumped up with all the flood waters and toxic waters leaked through the roof as well. I was inconsolable to not be with my fellow staff members to grieve and plan and work the problem together.

I went for a walk on the beach late in the day, my heart downcast. No one else was on the section of the beach I walked on. In the distance I saw something I couldn’t recognize but when I walked closer, I saw the above image. It was just sitting there in the sand. No message, no people, just that cross. I stood there until it got dark. Through that cross, God soothed my heart and I knew everything would be okay and that He would work things out for that body of believers that He loves even more than I do.

I never found out who made that cross but I have wondered about them many times. It had obviously not been placed there on that day because there was much wear and tear on it from numerous ebbs and flow of tide. Why had they erected it? Had God spoken words to them or was there just a sense in their spirits that they wanted to put up a beacon that would somehow light the way for someone?

In Matthew 5: 14-16 NLT, Jesus, (boldly, I believe), tells us, “You are the light of the world – like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

I love those words of Jesus. They challenge me and draw me out of hiding. He tells us not to hide His light that He Himself has put in us but then He tells us something else that often doesn’t get as much attention as the first part of those verses. He tells us to let our good deeds shine out for all to see. Hmmmm, I thought we were supposed to do things in His name without drawing attention to what we did? What could He really be saying there?

I believe He is talking about beacons. If we would attune the eyes and ears of our hearts to Holy Spirit’s guidance we would be sending out beacons of Light all the time. I’m sure most of you have had an “inkling” once in a while….. a feeling or thought that you should call somebody, or send a card, or stop and pray for someone. The “inkling” is the Holy Spirit and sometimes we hear and act and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes, if He has called us way out of the safety of the boat, we may overthink it and worry too much what someone might think of us. The problem with overthinking is that we take something holy and important and make it about us. I do it all the time.

The Holy Spirit is calling us to let our good deeds shine (send out beacons) a whole lot more than we are doing it. There needs to be more Light. He is talking to us a lot more than what we are listening for. The Holy Spirit urged someone to build a cross in the middle of the sand. God knew I would need that beacon of hope. How many others received something from that Light? Boggles my mind.

Who has He told you to pray for? Who has He told you to reach out to? Even a stranger? Who has He told you to tell that you love them? Who has He told you to do something for? Who has He told you to smile at or thank or offer assistance to? Who has He told you to give some portion of yourself or your time, talent, or money for? Who has He told you to build a cross in the sand for?

Would you be bold and brave with me and ask God to so attune your heart that you begin to hear and see His loud whispers all the time? And that when you hear Him, you just move. You just do it. You just let the beacons of His light be delivered? Don’t rationalize it. Don’t put it off. Don’t overthink it. Don’t ignore it. Just be reckless with it…..give it away without regard for yourself.

And here is the coolest thing about God’s economy……when you start moving to the beat of the Spirit and dropping beacons of Light all over the place, your capacity to see and receive the beacons He is sending to you through others and Himself will grow in leaps and bounds.

Oh, He wants to shine….

May our hearts say today and every day…… Here am I Lord. Send me and use me to light the way to You.