Welcome to this week’s edition of the Five Minute Friday link-up! Every week we gather around a single word prompt, set a timer for five minutes, and write with abandon — no overthinking, no editing, just write.
Learn more about the link-up and how it works here.
A few weeks ago I asked the members of the FMF Facebook group to give me some word prompt suggestions for the summer, and a couple of you suggested today’s word.
This week’s writing prompt is: SUNSHINE
Setting a timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.Â
I currently live in West Michigan, a place that can go for months at a time hiding the sun. From around November until at least March, it’s not uncommon to have very, very rare glimpses of blue sky or sunshine. So rare in fact that when the sun does show itself, it is a truly glorious and sometimes even breathtaking occasion. When we’ve gone days with nothing but clouds and gloom, I just want to drink it all in when we finally get to see the sun.
But then I realize, of course, that the sun has always been there. It’s just been behind the clouds, hidden by a prolonged shroud of overcast greyness. It hasn’t gone away, it just hasn’t been as obvious or visible.
In the Bible, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). But then He also says to His disciples, “You are the light of the world . . .” (Matthew 5:14).
Stay with me for a moment: If He is the light and He is in us as believers and we become the light because of His light in us . . . then through His presence in us, we have an amazing opportunity and ability to brighten the lives of others with the light He has given us.
It sounds like a lovely idea, doesn’t it? The problem is, too often my actions and words look and sound more like the dreary, overcast, Michigan winter days instead of the hopeful, life-giving, blue sky days that feed my soul.
Lord, make me shine brighter for You.
STOP.
+++
Join the link-up with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, SUNSHINE, below, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:Â
And in these days these things are mine,
and in them is my heart reborn,
the warming glow of the sunshine,
the fury of the lashing storm
that bends the scrub-trees to its will
and blows the desert sand oh high,
but soon all will be calm and still
and in the evening eastern sky
will stand the prism-symbol
of God’s holy word of hope
that makes the devil tremble,
for at the end God helps us cope
with the worst that we can know
by His sign, by His rainbow.
Just under four minutes.
Amen. If I’m to be a light to the world, I need to really soak up Jesus’ light because I haven’t got any light of my own.