No Light in the Building, But...

   I thought more about those churches I mentioned yesterday, especially the Smyrna PBC in Lulaton, that disbanded in 1990.

   The church building just sits there, looking lonely, but still in some semblance of repair. I walked inside, and the floors seem solid, the benches are still in there, the pulpit is there, but the windows remained closed, and its voice is not heard, at least not from its building.

   While standing inside the room, I could not help but notice that some light was still coming in from the spaces in the windows where the boards sought to come together. The outside of the building in general was constructed using the board and batten approach, but the windows, even though still made of wood planks, had none of the batten to keep anything out, including the light.

   Since the church used no electricity, I don't know whether or not it ever met in the evenings or just used the daytime sunlight. Possibly lanterns were used at night, who knows?

   From Luke 11 in The Message:

"If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don’t get musty and murky."

   The church above has disbanded. As I read about other Primitive Baptist Churches having done the same because of aging congregations and a lack of new blood in the church, I wonder about the people who used to populate this body of believers.

   Light is important. I'm sure that opening up those wooden windows was important to those earlier people, and I'm sure that they not only received the sunlight of the daytime, but also the light of God's Word for their lives.

   Since His Word does not go out without effect, I can also be sure that the light is still shining from sons and daughters of that ministry.

   From Matthew 5, still in The Message:

"You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

   Keep the windows of the heart open, to let in and shine out The Light.

   Don't let the world snuff it out!