A Globe of Protection

For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 13:47

Our light illuminates the One our works give glory to. It shows us his way and pulls others into it. A candle is a common visual representation of the light of our faith.

While a candle can be a beautiful image I think a hurricane lamp is more fitting for the picture. A candle has no protection. It will not be able to withstand a storm, some not even a rain. The light of a candle will burn out without protection from the wind and water. It will fail.

I've read that the hurricane lamp got it's name from the tall, cylindrical shaped, glass globe that encompasses the flame in order to protect it from the elements. This globe first started being used over candles and later as the flame protector on kerosene lamps. It is the oil lamp that I envision as the analogy for the light we are told to be.

Hurricane lamps have three main parts. The globe to protect the flame, the oil to feed the flame, and the wick to draw the oil to the flame. In image, the flame is our light. I see the oil as God's word, or scripture. The wick as ourselves, a root saturating our light in our relationship and knowledge of Christ.

Like a candle, the wick of a hurricane lamp can burn to an end, age. The candle has wax as fuel and the lamp has oil. When the oil begins running low it can be refilled, just as the oil of our image can be filled by studying his word. Unlike the candle though, the lamp has a globe to protect the flame.

We are told to "encourage one another and build one another up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11.) We are the globes protecting each others flame. As we go into the world and spread the good news of our Lord we can surround our lights with the encouragement of each other so that we are protected to continue burning and gaining fuel from his word.

The enemy of light is darkness. The enemy of fire is water. Beyond the moisture of summer showers and thunderstorms is the drenching waters of a hurricane. Having the hurricane lamps globe of protection around the light allows our flames to better withstand the storms, or struggles that have the potential to put us in darkness.

I will deepen my relationship with Christ by refueling my flame in scripture and protecting it through the encouragement of fellow believers, so that I may be a light, bringing the news of salvation to the ends of the earth.