I don’t know about you, but I find beauty in a flickering flame. It dances and moves, but even with the uncertainty or unsteadiness of the light itself, it still shines. Maybe I find loveliness in it because a part of me identifies with that candle, that flickering flame. Why? It’s simple, the flame dances and moves because of the air currents around it and it’s constantly fighting to stay alive. I have certainly felt that way, like a flame struggling to stay lit.

Here’s the thing about the air around it, it needs a certain amount of air to maintain the flame.  Too much air and it would go out – like when somebody blows out their birthday candles. They blow an excessive amount of air on the candle forcing the flame to go out. However, the reverse is also true. If there’s not any air at all the flame will also be extinguished.  For example, if you were to take that candle and put it under a glass it would go out because there wouldn’t be enough oxygen to keep it alive once it used up all the available oxygen, it would slowly die till the flame is gone. So ironically the flame needs the oxygen that’s in the air that’s also trying to put it out. This is the cause of that beautiful flickering motion of the flame that we see.  

Back to the point I’m trying to get to, I think there’s beauty in the defiance of a shining candle. The flame is defying the wind coming against it and it’s shining anyway.  The flickering demonstrates to us that there is a constant battle or struggle occurring, but it shines just the same. This is not unlike our life as believers.

Do you see why I identify with that candle?  The Bible calls us the light of the world, we stand out and shine much like that candle. We flicker as our flame comes against opposition. We have trials and life situations that are like the wind seeking to choke out the flame. Not only are we in opposition against the forces that would seek to extinguish our light, but we also are fighting the surrounding darkness that we live in. That’s why we shine, to illuminate the darkness in the world around us. Yet, so beautifully we flicker but we still shine.

Do you know what else is lovely in this situation? The candle that I’m watching amazed at its beauty as it flickered wasn’t on its own.  It was not one single candle, one singular light.  It was surrounded by a few other candles. Just like those candles we don’t shine alone either; we are one of many candles and flames, flickering. Limited though our light may be individually, we are one of many which makes us limitless. We shine our light for Jesus, and we shine brighter because we shine together. I don’t know about you but that brings me comfort. It also removes the pressure of this idea that I must be this one light against all the darkness, because that’s just not how it is. We stand together and we are stronger for it. Even Jesus gathered disciples and a core group around himself. We need each other as believers, we were never meant to operate in isolation. We are a whole body, each part shining brightly, each individual flame together becoming a beacon, a light house for the lost in this dark world.

Do you want to know something even more amazing than the fact that we shine even though we’re flickering, fighting against opposition and forces that come against us?  Something even more powerful than the fact that we stand together and we’re not shining alone fighting against all the darkness around us by ourselves?  An even greater truth is knowing what our fuel is.  We are fueled by the fire of the Holy Spirit, from a well that never runs dry. The fuel source for our lights does not run out. We will shine until it is God’s time for us to not shine here on earth any longer.  Till our race is complete and then we go home to the source of our light, the everlasting Son. Till then we go about the work of illuminating this dark world where we presently live.  

Isn’t it beautiful how God has chosen to light up the world?  He chose to use us, small and flickering flames, individuals united in one body, to pierce the darkness as we allow his light to shine through us, one flickering light and life at a time.  Once again God amazes me.  I’m amazed how he uses the weak and insignificant things of this world to cause significant changes. There’s something so amazing about that, and so absolute our God! So, from one flickering candle to another, keep fighting the good fight with me until he calls us home, he will sustain our light, and assist us as we fight together to stay on fire and shining for Jesus, an army of flickering lights against the darkness of this present age.

Scriptures: John 8:12, 2 Cor. 4:6, Matt. 5:14-16, Romans 12:4-5, Ephesians 4:1-6