Have you ever been afraid of something? I do. Many times. As a woman, I am afraid of walking alone in the night. I am afraid of driving home when I go home late. Sometimes I feel a little paranoid, I think a burglar might come to my house, or what if when I am sleeping, there will be fire. That thoughts come to my mind and I scare about it. When that feeling creeps in to my heart, when I feel afraid, you know what God tell me? 

Yesterday, by the grace of God, I got a chance to attend the Treasure's Women Conference held by Jakarta Praise Community Center (JPCC), a local church in Jakarta. Be the Light was the theme of the conference. I was so incredibly blessed by this conference and in this post, I'd like to share what I got in that conference. (I add my reflection on it.) 

Because the main theme was Be the Light, so all the sermon concerned in Matthew 5:14-15. In that passage written that He has purpose for our life and that purpose is to become His light.

"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." (The Message)

As a Christian, we no longer walk in the darkness, and as the mature Christian, we do not talk about how to avoid sin anymore, but we talk about becoming the light, making a difference and leading people come to Him as the great commission commands us to do. 

How to be a light? 

John 8:12 (New International Version) said that He is the light of the world. Whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of the life. How we can be the light? When we have Jesus as the light in our live. I give you the illustration about it. We can not take a picture in the darkness right? People who like photography will agree with me. Without a light, we can not capture any object. If you say we can use the flash, isn't it also the light? So, to make the object can be seen, we need light . When we talk about being the light, we need the light. The light is Jesus Himself. 

It is believed that couple who live together for a long time, they will be similar in many ways, we'll say that their faces are alike and perhaps their character as well. I think that concept goes same with our relationship with God. We will become more like Him when we have intimacy with Him, when we have a deep relationship with Him. Over the time, as He is the Light, we also become the light. 

How to live bright?

When we have Jesus and His Word as our light, we will definitely shine toward others. Live bright means live in Jesus way, think and put others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3). As Jesus love other, we will love one another as Jesus did. As Jesus pray for other, we will pray for others in the same way. Jesus is humble and so are we. Jesus easily forgive and not hold an anger, we also have to do the same. To sum it up, live bright means love sincerely, share generously and forgive easily. It is not about ourselves anymore, it is about other and it is about God.  

I believe that everyone has it's own calling. Its different from one to another. One may be called to be a business (wo)man, other may be a great doctor, and the other may be a full-timer serve God in the church. Whatever it is, there is an ultimate purpose God has appointed for each of us to do a good work that God has prepared for. I have written about this in my previous blog, What's your purpose of life, and today I want share more about the calling. I once was confuse with what is my calling. I understand that God's calling is a process. As I ask God for the clarity of the calling, I found 3 important things about the calling.  

1. We are called to be His image bearer

Firstly, our identity is that we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Our calling is based on our identity. His calling for each of us is to be His image bearer, whatever our job is. We are called out to shine toward other so they can see and glorify Him (Matt 5:13-16). God is love, God is faithful, God is full of mercy. Our life, and our calling as well, must represent the character of God. 

2. Our story is the way how God shape our calling

I believe that God use our story of life to shape our calling. Our experiences may lead us to understand God's calling. In Mark 5:1-20, we know that Jesus restored a demon-possessed man. In verse 19, Jesus told the man to tell to the people how much The Lord had done for him and how much he had the mercy on his life. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4,  Paul wrote that what he had experienced , he was comforted by God so he might comfort others. 

God may use our experiences to help us to find out what our calling is. When it comes to living out our calling, our story is an important part of God's story. The specific ways God has worked in our life are tangible examples of his love and faithfulness that God wants us to share it. Take a look back what God has done in your life, write down what you had experienced. 

3. In every calling, God's equipped us

When God calls us, He must have equipped us with some gifts and abilities. It is written clearly in the Exodus 31:1-11. 

Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills-- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts."

See! When God call us, God has already equipped us with everything we need to fulfill His calling, to do His work. There is no doubt we got a skills. Each of us has talents, either it is one, five or ten. 

Do not say that you are not talented, you can not do anything. He always finishes what He has started. Whenever He calls you, He must have prepared you to do that task.

To find out the calling is a journey. It will not appear in instant way. The calling itself will not come for nothing. That calls must be the way to bear the image of God, to do the good work and fulfill His purpose. God can work through everything, our story is one of them. He uses our experiences to lead us the our calling. When we live out our calling, He has prepared everything in advance. He will not call us if He is not sure we can do that or not. He will not call us if we are not capable of. Certainly, He equips us with the gifts and the abilities to do His work, to live out His calling.

Dear God,

give the clarity to find out our calling,  a courage and strong faith to live out Your calling, and a graceful response for your calling.