Anchor House Week 27 - Light of the World

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:14-16

The people who work at SeaPort Manatee are some of the most dedicated and hard-working people I have had the privilege to know. They work tirelessly to load and unload ships, keep the port safe, load and unload trucks, and the many other activities that make this place go. Three hundred sixty-five days days a year this SeaPort is alive because of the men and women who work here.

As the days drag on and the hours worked add up, fatigue sets in. Fatigue is the playground of the enemy. He strikes with doubt, impure thoughts, distractions, and any device he can employ to take our eyes off of God. The enemy jumps on us when we are in a place of fatigue like a barnyard cat pounces a field mouse.

Anchor House and those who serve through Anchor House have the privilege of being a beacon of light for the SeaPort community. As the days drag on and the enemy makes his attacks, Anchor House stands as the light in the darkness. Something as simple as sitting down, eating your lunch, and jumping on WiFi to watch your favorite show can be the difference between a successful attack and a defeated attack.

As those that serve at Anchor House embrace the light our Father has granted them, it shines for others to enjoy. A smile when buying a few Gatorades or discussion about faith or a simple “It’s nice to see you” or “We’ve missed seeing you” can be all that is needed to refuel to take on the rest of the shift. It can be all that is needed to glorify our Father in heaven and love his children.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Matt

Comments

Bold Like Stephen

I've always admired people who aren't afraid to be bold in their convictions. It is the kind of boldness that allows them to stand out in the crowd. There is just something different about how these people view and engage the world around them. The movie “Hacksaw Ridge” portrays a man that exemplifies what I mean by bold. He was drafted to serve in World War II but refused to bear arms because of religious reasons. Yet, he still managed to receive the Congressional Medal of honor. Without a weapon in his hand, he saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite his objection to violence, he still served his country. Despite his objection to war he found a way to love his neighbor. He was bold. When I think of bold in the Bible, I think of Stephen. Acts 6:8 says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen faced opposition to his teachings. Those that opposed his teachings couldn't ...

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I saw this quote recently, “You glow differently when your confidence is fueled by belief in yourself instead of validation from others.” I found myself wrestling with it. I completely agree with the concept that the validation of my worth is not established by the thoughts of others. While I think a positive self image is important, I do not think that it is what really makes me “glow differently.” I hope I glow differently because of whom I believe in, rather than what I believe of myself. The author of Titus says, “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7) . Love and kindness entered the world in the form of a m...

Jesus Paid It All

This morning I found myself searching for songs to add to my playlist. I have decided I want a list of songs to play while I run. As I've shared before, I don't particularly enjoy running, but we have committed to this 5K at the end of October. Running becomes tolerable when I can blast worship music and simply be with God. I was in search of particular version of a hymn from the 1800's titled "Jesus Paid it All." The Passion conference worship team did a rendition of it 5-6 years ago and I quite enjoy it. Anyway, in the search for the song, I got to reading about the lyrics. I have always been drawn to the refrain because of it is a reminder of Jesus' incredible gift to us. It goes: "Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow." The images portrayed by the comparison between a crimson stain and white snow are vivid. Dark red stains are the type of stains that just don't come out. Th...

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