IS YOUR CANDLE BURNING?

Proverbs 31:18

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good:  her candle goeth not out by night.

            The quick take away from this verse over many years in my life has been, and still is, to work hard and work long with the talent and ability the Lord has given me.  For many years, this verse, and my raising, have been driving forces of reasons to work long and hard hours. Another reason I developed to work long, hard hours is to care for and nurture those I love dearly.  It is innate nature to want to care and look well to the ways of my household and whatever it is that I do.  As I type this , so many memory verses or even just good verses that have stood out to me in my reading the Bible over the years, comes flooding through my mind.  One being Proverbs 31:15; She riseth also while is it yet night, and giveth meat to her household.  Another comes from Proverbs 31:27; She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.  Colossians 3:23; And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. Ecclesiastes 9:10; Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom , in the grave, whither thou goest.  And finally, 1^st Corinthians 10;31; Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. My goal is to please the Lord in all that I do from home, to church, to work and any other place I may go.  Anything I have is from the Lord and not of myself.  It is all HIS merchandise. 1^st Corinthians 6:19-20; What?  Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.             Going a little further into the verse, this next part is what really grabbed me this time of reading. It became fresh, anew and filled me with such peace to remember “her candle goeth not out by night”.  Yes, this means we work long hours at home, work, church or combinations of that and more.  But this time my excitement came from reading this because even when it is night, even when it is dark, even when the storm clouds gather, even when the winds from a storm rage, even when the enemy is attacking, even in what may seem like doom and gloom, even when it “seems” you are forsaken, even when it “seems” you are alone, even when satan is trying to “blow it out”, HE CANNOT blow out your candle if your candle is lit!  That is so encouraging to know that “ The flame may flicker but the fire will never go out”.  Jesus is the only way to light your candle.  Satan will forever try to prevent our candles from being lit and then try to snuff it out so we cannot be a light in this dark world.  He will try to stop our children from ever getting their candles lit.  Matthew 25: 1-13 is a great passage to read about keeping oil in our lamps to keep the candle burning.  You must first put the oil in the lamp and Jesus is the only way to do this.  Otherwise if will be like Matthew 25:12; But he answered and said, verily I say unto you, I know you not.  Good news is that it there is, even now, an opportunity for anyone to call on his name and get their own oil to light their candle and let it shine bright to lead the way for others to Christ.  John 3:16; For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in his should not perish but have everlasting life. God paid a price for us so that we can ask him to forgive our sin and believe what he done and ask him to be Lord over our lives and have a home with him in heaven when our time comes to meet him.  We never know when that moment will be so we must be prepared today, this moment.  He loves you and I so much.  Is your candle burning?  If so, it will never, ever go out, because you know who the Lord is and you love and adore HIM.  Trim those wicks, burn those candles bright, stay focused on the Lord, love one another and remember you are his Child and don’t let the “devil blow it out or try to dim your light”.  Jesus is worth it all!