During World War II, my father-in-law served on a U.S. Navy boat that patrolled the East Coast looking for German U-boats. One day the captain remarked that they were off the coast of Virginia. My father-in-law corrected him pointing out the Wright Brothers Memorial at Jockey’s Ridge in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. During the war, lighthouses were dimmed or off to reduce the risk of their being targets for the U-boats. Otherwise, the captain should have seen one of the following lighthouses along the coastlines of Virginia and North Carolina. Each of these lighthouses has a distinct pattern to aid in navigation.
My wife and I enjoy detours on our vacations that take us to lighthouses, especially in Maine where the coastline is rugged and dotted with squat lighthouses perched high upon cliffs. In Puerto Rico, my older son wanted to hike and find snakes, while for me it was again seeing lighthouses. My work travel took me near lighthouses at times, like this one in downtown Lisbon.
During the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:14), Jesus described His followers as lights, the same term He used to describe Himself
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.”
How Am I God’s Lighthouse?
In Stormy Seas
In a stormy sea, the strong beam of the lighthouse cuts through darkness and fog to guide a wind-tossed ship from danger to safety.
Snake Island, also known as Ilha da Queimada Grande, is a Brazilian island overrun with highly venomous golden lancehead snakes. Its lighthouse not only warns visitors about sea conditions surrounding the island but also serves as a strong warning NOT to step on the island as it will be fatal.
Life tosses many storms at us: cancer, job losses, failed marriages, infertility, rebellious children, depression, and more. You would likely have no problem expanding the above list. We live in a broken world. And we’re broken too.
The non-believer navigates life’s most difficult storms without a lighthouse – no one to turn to for security and safety. And the scary part is that this is the best life will be for them.
For the Christian, the best life is yet to come when we are reunited with our Creator. During life’s storms, we have our faith to draw strength when ours is exhausted. We can be joyful, even in trying times. As Corrie Ten Boom stated: “You may never know that JESUS is all you need until JESUS is all you have.”
Proverbs 18:10 reminds us “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Safe!
Psalm 18:2 continues “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
We can also be God’s lighthouse for others. Shine through the sin and darkness of this broken world. Offer our fellow sailors the shelter, safety, and victory that only comes from Jesus Christ.
God’s Lighthouse Has a Faithful Keeper
The lights in all of the lighthouses in the United States have been replaced by automated beacons, but in the past, the light in a lighthouse had to be lit every night, no matter what the weather or the light keeper’s health.
The coast off of the Outer Banks in North Carolina is called “The Graveyard of the Atlantic.” The passing ships relied on the lighthouse keeper. Lives could be lost if the light keeper fell asleep or took a “mental health day.”
Thridrangaviti Lighthouse is located on a rock pillar in the Westman Islands, about 4.5 miles off the southwest coast of Iceland. The lightkeeper was likely lonely, cold, and isolated. That didn’t matter. He had to faithfully do his job.
We must be steadfast in our faith as God’s lighthouse in this world. Even when nobody is looking, we need to reflect God’s Light. When we hit the rough patches, we are still to reflect the Light. Like the ships passing the lighthouse, lives are at stake – the souls of others created in God’s image.
1 Peter 2:12 reminds us to “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Be faithful stewards of God’s Light.
Built On The Solid Rock
A lighthouse must be built on solid ground. In Maine, the lighthouse was often high upon a craggy cliff overlooking the sea. One of the highest lighthouses in the United States is Kilauea Point Lighthouse, which stands 180 feet above the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii.
In North Carolina, there are no tall coastal cliffs, just miles of beautiful sandy beaches. But unlike the children’s song about the foolish man building their house on sinking sand, lighthouses must be anchored, strong, and unmovable, even when they stand in a sandy region. When waves threaten to topple them, they must still stand.
The 198-foot Hatteras Island lighthouse was moved in 1999 because waves and seawater had undermined its current location. One day soon, a nor’easter would topple it. The lighthouse would only be effective if its foundation was secure. The move ensured that security.
As Christians, our faith is challenged every day. It could be someone who cut you off on the highway, and you want “to briefly lose your religion.” Or it could be a politician promoting an idea that is contrary to what the Bible says. Just this one time. Just one look. Nobody will know.
Why does the house on the Rock stand (Matthew 7:24)? Jesus Christ, the solid Rock, undergirds the house.
We must firmly root our lives in God’s Word, which is unswervable and dependable (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
As people navigate the stormy seas of life, we can be a God’s lighthouse of hope and truth for them by pointing them to the Solid Rock.
A Broken Lighthouse
A lighthouse with a broken or weak light cannot do its job. The lightkeeper must be vigilant each night to check the light to ensure it is at full power and, if necessary, replace it with a new bulb that shines brightly to serve as a directional beacon and warn of potential dangers.
As a Christ-follower, the light we shine is not our own. Instead, it reflects our connection to our Source of power, strength, hope, and peace – Jesus Christ living in us through the Holy Spirit.
Sin, bitterness, or neglect can dim our light. Life’s struggles can weigh us down so our spiritual witness is less effective. Perhaps we’ve “given up,” turning off our light. Or we want to be both saved and live “the wild life” like the Prodigal Son. That doesn’t work.
We need to do a daily spiritual health check. Are we shining brightly or has sin dimmed our light? Do we need the Light Keeper to restore us?
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:10-12)?
Our goal as God’s lighthouse is to be able to sing “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.”
Lighting the Way Home
To the sailor at sea, the lighthouse serves two purposes. It is a warning beacon to avoid navigational hazards like shallow water, sand bars, cliffs, and hidden rocks. The lighthouse is also a directional beacon, letting the sailors know where they are. Black and white lighthouse stripes like a barber pole tell the sailor that they are off the North Carolina coast by Hatteras Island (Hatteras Lighthouse).
As God’s lighthouse, we serve similar purposes, guiding others away from the hazards of sin and pointing them back to the only Source of true peace in life, God the Father. And like the father in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), our heavenly Father is running towards them with open arms welcoming them home.
God’s Lighthouse of the Gospel
As Christians, we should reflect the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, and be God’s lighthouse to a broken world. We are to
- shine the light of God’s truth in a dark, chaotic world crying for help,
- be steadfast in our faith, even when nobody else is looking,
- build our lives on the Solid Rock that will never sink or fall,
- keep our light bright by ensuring a strong constant connection to the Source of our strength, Jesus Christ,
- point the way to the safety and security of our Heavenly Father.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you have called me to be a light to our dark world, a city on a hill, and a beacon to the lost. Please keep me anchored firmly in You, my strong tower. Give me the boldness to shine Your light brightly so all can trust in the safety and security that can only come from You. Amen
Here are some interesting historical facts about lighthouses:
- Pharos of Alexandria: The first known lighthouse was the Pharos of Alexandria in Egypt, built around 280 BC.
- Tower of Hercules: The world’s oldest existing lighthouse is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- First lighthouse in America: The first lighthouse in the United States was on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in 1716.
- U.S. has most lighthouses: The United States has the most lighthouses of any country in the world, with over 700.
- Lighthouse fog signals: Historically, lighthouses used cannons or bells to warn ships in foggy conditions.
- Modern lighthouses: Modern lighthouses also send out radio and radar signals to passing ships.
I remember one rainy vacation when we drove to the Hattaras Light House. It was a foggy, rain night, but it was such a beautiful sight when it finally came into view.
Thanks for these inspiring and thought-provoking insights. I’ve always loved lighthouses as physical and inspirational beacons of safety and light. . . Exactly what we are called to be.