We live in a broken world, which is shattered physically, socio-politically and spiritually due to the fall of man. Literally speaking, there is no sector of our world that is not crying for rescue. In leadership, both in secular and sacred, the world is crying for rescue.

Economically, people are crying for rescue from hunger, poverty and hardship. In most marriages, the world is crying for rescue. Spiritually speaking, there is so much evil and wickedness going on everywhere. People are crying for rescue because there is brokenness everywhere. The brokenness of the world is not accidental to God. God had a redemption plan to heal the brokenness of the world by sending Jesus Christ to die for the rescue of mankind.

The church exists for the healing of the broken world. As believers in Christ, we have received the light of the gospel, so that, we can better the situation and lighten our environment. The only remedy our world has is for us believers to shine as light and bring healing to the brokenness of our world. We are to shine as light in our families, world through soul winning, missions and evangelism, which is the main reason for our being. We are to bring comfort and consolation to our broken world filled with pain, grief and misery. Jesus Has transformed us by the power of His light and has sent us to the world to be the light of the world. The power of light can rescue a sinner from condemnation.

The light metaphor has featured prominently in the Bible. The coming of Jesus brought light which symbolizes healing, change, righteousness, order, hope, guidance and transformation to our broken and sin-soaked world. Light in a broken world represents a beacon of light shining into the darkness, illuminating the paths of people, bringing hope to the hopeless, oppressed, depressed and rejected, lifting the down trodden, providing refuge for the poor, guidance for the lost, and healing for the sick (Luke 4:18). Jesus is that light in a broken world and Jesus is presently shining the light through the church today. He Has made the church and community of believers the light to the broken world.

To shine as light is a mandate to every believer in Jesus Christ and the essence of our being as the church of Jesus Christ. When we come to understand this, everything about the Christian life begins to illuminate the world we live and the generational space we are privileged to be born. The Bible said that our light should so shine before men that they will see our good works and give glory to God (Ephesians 5:8). We should fulfill God’s missionary mandate to save those in darkness. We should understand the future and hope of the unsaved is in our hands and that the unsaved are lost without the light.

We are reminded by Jesus not to hide, but to be light in a dark world. The church at the moment is to bring hope to the hopeless by bringing the light to those in the darkness and optimism to the lost and downcast or discouraged. The church is to bring guidance and illumination to those who are covered by darkness and provide direction and wisdom to the ignorant persons and lost sinners. The church is to bring healing to the sick, restoration and redemption to those in brokenness, and bring wholeness and peace to humanity.

Today’s nugget: The church is the light to a broken world
Prayer: Lord help me to be a light in my environment
Prayer lines: 08033299824. E-mail: [email protected]. Rev. Dr. Abel Ukachi Amadi, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.