Let It Shine
by Jamison (Jim) Brown
Hill Haven Church stood like a forgotten relic. A determined wind howled through the lonesome parking lot and rattled the old wooden doors, as if trying to force them to open and welcome new ideas.
The few remaining members sat in the dimly lit sanctuary. Reverend Sam Winston had tried to keep the church alive, but the congregation had dwindled, their numbers fading like the paint on the church’s weathered exterior.
Reverend Winston’s voice cracked as he spoke, the words of hope and faith feeling hollow in the vast emptiness of the sanctuary. Each hymn of the somber service offered a desperate plea, and each prayer was a silent cry.
“And now, let us rise for our final hymn,” Reverend Winston said, though he knew many of them could barely stand.
The effort to rise was visible as stiff joints creaked and aching limbs trembled. He paused to watch them struggle, and for a moment, the weight of the church’s despair felt heavy on his shoulders.
But then, as if in response to a prayer, the doors of the church flew open with a loud bang. A gust of warm wind swept through the sanctuary, rustling the sheets of music covering the organ that had long been silent. Reverend Winston’s heart leapt at the sight, igniting a spark of hope.
Standing in the doorway, faces flushed with excitement and eyes wide with both fear and anticipation, were the preschool children from across the way. With the start of the new school year, they had worked tirelessly with their music teacher to tune their tiny voices and surprise the congregation with a special performance.
“We’re here to save the church!” little Maggie shouted, unable to hold back her excitement.
The once-empty pews quickly filled as the children and their families took their seats. Dust from the unused seat cushions danced in the sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows, as if the air itself were awakening.
Reverend Winston’s voice trembled with emotion as he announced, “Our final hymn will be an old favorite: ‘This Little Light of Mine.’”
The children’s voices rose, lifting the weary spirits of the elders, and one by one, they joined in, their voices gaining strength with each verse.
As the hymn came to a close, the parents exchanged glances and nodded. Many approached Reverend Winston after the service and committed to returning, staying, and rebuilding.
The old church, once on its last breath, found new life in the smallest of lights.
“Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
– Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
Comment(1)
Jon Hauerwas says:
August 23, 2024 at 12:01 pmJim,
Whatever the stage of our individual or collective faith journeys, we are longing for God’s light to enter in. As you have rightly observed, God’s light often appears in unexpected and surprising ways. Joseph and Mary were stunned when God’s light came into the world through the birth of their son, Jesus. They nurtured the light within him, and, in time, the whole world was filled with the light of his life.
God’s light still shines in places where human agency and earthly wisdom endeavor to hide it under a bushel. Yet, as his followers, we know true light when we see it because true light both illumines our hearts and wonderfully reveals our next steps, even those previously shrouded in darkness. May God’s light shine on us today, especially in those places where all hope once seemed lost.