You are a firework.

You are a firework.

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a penchant for fireworks, globes and birthdays.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Matthew 5:14-15

I had a spiritual experience at a fireworks display in 2000, 20 years ago. I saw one of the top three firework displays I have seen in my life. The combination of arrangement, color and types of fireworks were stunningly beautiful against the pitch-black canopy above.

Each firework had a different personality.

I remember some that gently exploded like powder puffs, some were loud like rockets. Colors were varied. Some clustered together for greater clout, others gave our ears a rest. I distinctly remember the outline of a blue star in the left hand corner of the sky. It was soundless, short and sweet, but I remember it.

For the first time in my life that night, I understood that God launched me into history at just the right time (my birthday) and in just the right place (my address) as part of his exquisite “light show.” That night , under the stars, I got it. If I tried to emulate anyone else’s light, there would be a hole where I was supposed to have fired in history, and the beauty of God’s light in history would be dimmed.

God handpicked your birthday and address:

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. Acts 17:26

There was a moment in this dot of time and space that God poised his finger over the globe, so to speak, until he pressed the launch button at the exact minute you were to be born. My first child was born at 5:56 a.m and her twin at 6:13 a.m. For their entire childhood, I woke them up at these exact times to sing happy birthday . Now, as adults, I get a text ready, and at exactly 5:56 a.m and then at 6:13, I press send.

Out of this whole globe, God not only picked the exact moment you were born, but the spot.

People took you home to a specific address to raise you, and that place on the globe played a huge role in shaping you and in differentiating you toward the spot you are to play in the body of Christ.

I imagine what it must look like to God from His 5th dimension vantage point to see this blue orb firing with all of the Christ followers in history displaying His nature to a watching world. Together, we are the light of the world.

Each of us a firework.

Prayer for our nation: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. We tell you today that You are the only hope for our nation because only You can change hearts. We beg you to work in the heart of each Christ follower so we become capable of displaying Your glory from wherever You have placed each of us in this country. May we love each other so well that the watching world knows we are Your disciples. Forgive us for the countless times we have failed to let You do that through us. We repent. 

We invite you into all that is going on in America, declaring You as our only hope for healing all that we have done to hurt each other. We ask that you weave all things together so people reach out for you and perhaps find You, though you are not far from each one (Acts 17:27). May our hearts be healed and our lives transformed as Thy will is done on earth as it is in heaven. 

In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord,

Amen

Picture Explanation: This blog is posting one day early on purpose so it posts on the 4th of July. The prayer is new, but the post is an excerpt from some of my teaching in June 2020 for One Gritty Blink: Focus on Eternity, that occurred for my church in June. This imagery captures my heart so much that I grabbed my globe one day a few weeks ago and prayed for each of us to display His glory from wherever He has placed us in the world. Imagine how glorious that would look from God’s vantage point.

The talks were recorded on Zoom and are available on the church website for about six weeks. Feel free to check them out HERE. The videos will not remain published for long because the recordings are not optimum quality for mass distribution.

If anyone wants the corresponding study guide of one page of homework each day, for five days a week, contact me at laurieoconnor@oaksministries.com. I will send a .pdf of the study guide for you to print out.  If a church wants to consider this as a study for their women, I am willing to consider the possibilities during these unusual times of social distancing.

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