"lights in a dark world"

"In the midst of a crooked and perserve nation among whom ye shine as lights in a dark world" (Phillipians 2:15) We as Christians are supposed to live this life right in the middle of a wayward society. "Crooked" speaks of moral evil, and "perverse" speaks of a twisted nature. If there ever were a twisted and perverted generation this is it. Right is now wrong, and wrong is now right. This is exactly where God wants us. These are the people The Lord wants us to reach and influence. These are the very people God loves and Jesus died for.

If our ultimate purpose for being here was to worship God, then God would have immediately transported us to heaven because in heaven worship is perfect. If our ultimate purpose for being here were to fellowship with one another, God would have transported us to heaven where we could fellowship in perfection for eternity. We are here that we might "shine as lights in a dark world".

Our Lord prayed in John 17 " I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil". We must shine "among" the lost world. We are to take the "church" to them. This world needs Christ--and we are his "ambassadors". Let us take our responsibility seriously, let us desire to live "godly in this present world", contrasting the darkness with the glory of the light of Christ.