Are Our Lamps Trimmed and Burning?

Are Our Lamps Trimmed and Burning?

The inspiration for this post is the Spiritual, “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning”. Slaves sang this song as a reminder that they must stay alert amid distraction, danger, and exhaustion.

Keeping their lamps trimmed and burning meant, stay positive. Conductors of the Underground Railroad are in the area, ready to help them reach freedom.

In Luke 12:35-38  Jesus said. “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.”

This Led Me to Lighthouses

Thinking about “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning” led me to think about lighthouses.

As I thought about lighthouses, I remembered trips to lighthouses both in the U.S. and Canada with my husband, and the necessity for lamps to be kept in proper working order.

Trimmed Lamps Led to Lamp Oil

Thinking about trimmed lamps, led me to think about how oil used in lighthouse lamps caused soot to build up on the lighthouse lamps, dimming the lamp.

As I thought about the soot, I considered the fact that if the soot wasn’t removed, the light would not shine brightly. If the light didn’t shine brightly, lives might be lost.

A Little Research

So, I did a little research.

Yep. Rabbit trail.

Here’s what I discovered.

Early lighthouse keepers knew that the oil canisters and lamps must always be kept perfectly clean. Inside and out. Keepers understood that oil kept without use grew thick and wouldn’t burn well.

Every day the lamp’s wick needed to be trimmed, and the burnt section cut off.

After that, the keepers cleaned the lamps, reflectors, and lantern room windows. They also prepared the wicks and oil for the following night.

Once a month keepers took the lamp apart piece by piece and cleaned it. Cleaning the equipment was vital to producing good light.

One instruction manual told keepers that if everything was cleansed after use and kept neatly, taking care of the lamps wouldn’t be such an unpleasant task next time.

Makes Sense, Right?

Mind the lamp.

Keep the wick trimmed and burning.

Get rid of the soot.

Clean the lamp inside and out.

If you don’t use the oil, it’ll grow useless.

Prepare each night for the next day.

If you do a good job removing the soot and keep the lamp clean, it won’t be such an unpleasant job the next time.

My rabbit trail didn’t end there, however.

Called to Keep Our Lamps Trimmed and Burning

Next, I considered how those of us who follow Jesus are called to be lights in this dark world. We are called to keep our lamps trimmed and burning.

We must clean our oil container inside and out to prepare our lamp to burn bright.

As we clean our container, we also search our hearts piece by piece. Cleaning is essential if we want our lights to shine brightly as Jesus instructed.

If we regularly examine ourselves before God, remove the soot that dims our light, and strive to follow his will, then it won’t be such an unpleasant task the next time.

Just as the keeper’s oil needed to be used often or it would grow useless, if we don’t share the message God gives us to share, it will grow thick. It won’t burn well or be of any good use.

Everything in the lighthouse lamp room had to be cleaned each night. The next day’s needs were taken care of before bed.

We can accomplish this through nightly prayer.

If we don’t trim the lamps, soot will build up.

Allowing soot to build up will dim our light.

A dimmed light will prevent us from shining brightly for Jesus.

If we don’t shine brightly for Jesus, lives could be lost.

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning. The time is drawing nigh. Children, don’t get weary. Don’t get weary ’til your work is done. African American Spiritual

Your Turn

How do you keep your lamp trimmed and burning to shine bright for Jesus? If you’ve visited any lighthouses, do you have a favorite?

I wish you well.

Sandy

You can find my blog at https://www.sandykirbyquandt.com

Photos courtesy Pixabay.