Light Up the Room!

 

                                                                                                    

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I had a dream in which my husband and I had moved to another town because of a potential job opportunity I thought might be open there, but it fell through. As we were walking down the street considering our options, we spotted a small art museum housed in a historic home and decided to visit.

A caretaker greeted us at the door and showed us into the main gallery. It was lit only by a single skylight, with sunbeams filtering down from the sky and illuminating the dust particles in its path. A patch of light in the center of the floor under the skylight was warm and inviting, in contrast to the shadows obscuring the artwork on the walls.

We stepped closer to the paintings, including some Old Masters and some by artists unfamiliar to us, and were amazed by their extraordinary craftsmanship and attention to detail. Yet the room illumination was so low that we practically had to be on top of the paintings to appreciate them, and even then we felt we were missing out on what could be an even more memorable experience.

We asked the caretaker if it would be possible to turn on the lights, and he explained that artificial lighting could damage the masterpieces. To our surprise, he knew that I was looking for a job, and offered me a position as a gallery guide, to answer questions and highlight various features of each artwork for visiting guests.

It sounded like an interesting opportunity. Unexpectedly, I heard myself asking, “What is the dress code?”

“Flower,” he replied.

When I asked him what he meant, he explained that because no artificial light sources were permitted in the gallery, the guides had to be brightly dressed in vibrant colors or floral patterns. They would stand in the center of the floor under the skylight so that the guests could easily spot them, and so that they would still be clearly visible as they walked to each painting.

As I awoke and considered the symbolism of the dream, I was reminded of a devotional by Paul Tripp we had read the previous day, He mentioned the beautiful spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-4) we receive once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

Although we receive these gifts at the moment of salvation, they are not always visible to others because we quench or grieve the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30), hindering His light from shining in our hearts. Tripp likened this to a gallery of paintings once the switch is flipped off – they are still there, but invisible.

My dream seemed to extend the metaphor. I was looking for a new job, which in my stage of life would refer to a ministry opportunity rather than to a paid position. Yet, as I discovered recently when the Lord called my husband and me to open a new church, we must be receptive to His lead for such an opportunity, even if it takes us by surprise (Proverbs 3:5-6). We must follow His call and not be stuck in our own preconceived ideas or reluctant to let go of a ministry that has already run its course.

In the dream we had moved to a new city and I was offered an unexpected position, representing the new phase of ministry God has called us to in opening a new church. The gallery within a house may symbolize the gifts of the Spirit God has planted in our heart.

For these gifts to reach others, they must be illuminated by His perfect light, not by the artificial, harsh, tawdry light coming from the world. (Imagine the piercing lights of an interrogation room, or the dizzying neon signs clamoring for attention on Times Square, as a contrast to the gentle golden rays of sunrise over the ocean).

Once we soak in His perfect light, as represented by standing under the skylight in the gallery, we can then let His light shine through us so we can guide others (John 1:9; Matthew 5:14). We may then help them discover the gifts of the Spirit God longs to place or has already placed in their hearts, so that they too can illuminate the path for others.

In the dream, we had to go very close to the paintings to catch even a glimpse of their true beauty. When people are in darkness, we need to bring His light to where they are rather than demand that they seek us out. We can’t just sit back in the safety and comfort of our sanctuary! We must seek out lost souls in their own environment before we can see their true potential, once they are saved, as ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), each with a unique purpose God planned for them since before the beginning of time (Ephesians 2:10).

The unusual dress code required for guides in the dream I believe represents the righteousness of Christ with which we are clothed once we are saved (Romans 3:22). The saint’s robe of righteousness is white (Revelation 19:8), for purity, but white light can be diffracted into all colors of the spectrum. At the moment of salvation, the believer is clothed in a robe of righteousness compared to a bride adorned with jewels (Isaiah 61:10), which suggests gems of brilliant hues.

The bright, colorful clothing required of guides in the dream may represent each believer’s uniqueness, and yet our incorporation into the body of Christ (Romans 12:5), which is His bride, the church (Revelation 21:2). As a flower uses light from the sun to grow and produce a vibrantly hued blossom, every believer uses His light to bloom into their full potential.

Just as Moses’ countenance glowed when he had been in God’s presence (Exodus 34:29-30,35), we should wear His imprint on our faces. His Spirit shining through us attracts others to us, even though they may not know exactly why. His mark on us should be as easily seen as a brightly colored dress.

In the dream there were some Old Master paintings I recognized from having seen photos of them in art books, and others that were equally beautiful yet unknown to me. In Heaven I believe we will instantly recognize saints well known to us from Scripture, such as the apostle Paul, even though we have never seen a picture or read a description of his appearance. At the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, Peter knew that he was in the presence of Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-5), even though they died millennia before Peter was even born.

Yet I believe another joy in Heaven will be to meet believers we have never heard of before, even though we may have planted or watered the seed that ultimately led to the fruit of their salvation. For example, someone may have been saved through the witness of a missionary we helped support, and in glory we will fully appreciate the beauty of their transformed life.

While awaiting the Rapture and these precious encounters, may we bask in His true light so that we can be His lights in the world, illuminating the path for others!    

Copyright 2026 Laurie Collett

Remembering His Faithfulness

Photo of forget-me-not by bc anna 2006

God is so faithful! (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 89:8; Isaiah 25:1; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13; 1 Peter 4:19; Revelation 3:14). He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and reminders of His loving presence surround us, from the true blue of forget-me-nots on our path, to tender bird songs, to butterflies dancing around us on a gentle breeze.   

 
Yet so many times this past year I hesitated to step out in faith, hindered by fear or doubt, tempted to trust in my own sorry flesh (Romans 7:18), yet realizing how totally inadequate I am.  But the constant cure was and is to remember that He is unchanging (James 1:17; Hebrews 13:8) and faithful, even when we are not. Without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5), but with Him, all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26)

Not only is His grace sufficient, but His supreme power is most evident in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). There are no limits to what He can accomplish through us if we simply step out of His way (Genesis 18:14; Ephesians 1:19). If we surrender the reins of our life to Him (Luke 22:42), if we empty ourselves of our prideful self-justification (Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14; 1 Peter 5:6) and the foolish constraints our minds place on His unlimited resources, He can work miracles through us! (Jeremiah 32:17,27; Hebrews 13:21). If we do not, His will and His work will still be done, but we lose the opportunity, blessing and reward of fulfilling His perfect plan for our lives (Jeremiah 33:3).

But if we die daily to self (1 Corinthians 15:31) and offer ourselves to Him as an empty vessel, the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) can and will release His love and living water to flow through us (1 John 4:7-13); His fire to consume us (Hebrews 12:29); and His light to burn brightly in us for all to see (Matthew 5:14-16), for their blessing and His glory!

Just as Samuel commemorated the Ebenezer stone to remind him of God’s deliverance of Israel from her enemies (1 Samuel 7:9-14), it is good for us to review God’s blessings, mercies, and opportunities so that we can face the future with the blessed, living hope only He can offer (Jeremiah 17:7; Titus 2:13; 1 Peter 1:3). 

Sometimes we can look back on events from even before we were saved and see His hand at work in preparing us for future ministry (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:13). Often we won’t understand the significance of past events until we see Him in glory. But we can always be confident that He is working all things together for our good and His glory! (Romans 8:28)

As I remember the highlights of 2013, I am so blessed to see His faithfulness in action, equipping us for the ministries He has entrusted to us. Certainly there have been trials and obstacles to overcome, but each time He proved that He Who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4), and if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) These trials test our obedience, trust and faith, and ultimately strengthen our relationship with Him as we realize that He alone is the Source of all blessing (James 1:17), the Solution to every problem (Matthew 6:8).

A milestone for us in 2013 was a new direction in our ministry. This began as the pastor of the church where we served since 2002 preached on Acts 1:8 – on the importance of witnessing and serving first in your own Jerusalem, or your immediate neighborhood; then in Judaea and Samaria, or regions nearby; and finally to the furthest reaches of the earth.

Each day as we passed by a church very close to our home, we began to wonder if God could be calling us to serve there, practically in our own backyard. We learned that there was a need there, and with the blessing of both pastors, we transferred our membership to help fill that need. Since October, I have been singing special music regularly on Sunday mornings in our new church home; my husband Richard is the new sound man; and I started and have been teaching Sisters-in-Grace, a new ladies’ Bible study class.

Christmas Music Service, Fowler Ave. Baptist Church, 2013

 We had prayed that God would make His will regarding our church service very clear, and He was so faithful and swift to answer that prayer! On the first Sunday morning we visited, He showed us before we even entered the church building that there were two very specific needs we could fill. And as we walked into the sanctuary for the first time, we were stunned to see the full text of Acts 1:8 in huge letters adorning the wall behind the altar:

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

So our new church home and its ministries are now our Jerusalem! For some years, our dance ministry has been like Judaea and Samaria for us – involving some, yet not too distant, travel, and sometimes in venues where the audience may prefer not to hear the message we bring. In 2013, God continued to bless our dance ministry, enabling us to spread His Word through dancing to Christian music and themes. Despite the limits of growing older, we continue to use physically demanding Theatre Arts and adagio choreography, by His grace alone.

This art form is traditionally reserved for young people in peak physical condition, and we have reached the age that many of our competitors could be our children or even our grandchildren! But the Bible does not speak of retirement. At 85 years of age, Caleb acknowledged that God was the source of his strength and asked God to give him victory over the Anakims occupying Mount Hebron (Joshua 14:9-14). May all of us rely on His grace to empower us in the unique ministry where He has placed us, for as long as it is His will to do so!

And finally, God has blessed this blog in 2013 by allowing it to grow and by giving it visitors from the uttermost part of the earth! Praise God for the Internet that allows believers around the globe to encourage and uplift one another! All of you are such a blessing to me, and I am thankful for your readership, for your input on this blog, and for your own inspiring posts.

As part of this year-in-review, I am including links to the top 10 most viewed posts of 2013 (most viewed post listed first, and then in descending order):

Triplets of Faith: Were Adam and Eve Saved?

Rebellion & Redemption: Cain and Abel                 

Rapture to Heaven: Triplets of Eternity                    

How Does God Love Me? Let Me Count Three Ways

Rebellion & Redemption: Expulsion from Eden

Salvation’s Eternal Blessings                              

Remembering “Baba”: A Proverbs 31 Woman

Water and Oil: Physical and Spiritual Milk                   

“Let’s Do Church” -- NOT!                                                  

Who is the Proverbs 31 Woman?                              

Happy New Year! May this be the year that we are all emboldened to tell the unsaved in our sphere of influence of faith in His death, burial and resurrection as the only way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6). May God bless all of you, your families, and your ministries richly in 2014 and until He comes again!

© 2014 Laurie Collett