The World Needs More Lighthouses

A Light Beyond Ourselves

Ships navigate safely to shore in the dark of night by the guidance of light—a light not of themselves, but far off. It shines from a distance, racing quickly across the water’s surface, climbing the bow of the ship, scurrying up the mast, illuminating the sails, before finally coming to rest on the hardened, sea-weathered faces of sailors. In the cold darkness of night, it offers comfort, warmth, and the hope of home. The pale moon, the twinkling stars, and even the best sailor’s instincts are sometimes insufficient. They are not always enough to steer out of harm’s way and into the safety of the bay. They need help that is constant and true. These sailors—and me and you—need a lighthouse.

The Comfort of my Childhood Light

Growing up, there was a small five-foot decorative lighthouse at the first house on the right in our neighborhood. Whenever we passed it at night, I knew we were almost home. That light meant comfort and safety—it meant a home-cooked meal and a warm bed.

The lighthouse eventually disappeared as I grew older. It no longer stood at the end of that neighbor’s driveway, quietly saying, “Welcome home.” I’ve learned how quickly the lights we depend on can fade. This happens not for any reason other than this: in a fallen world, nothing lasts forever. We live in a world full of hidden dangers and unseen currents. We have no clarity on when the journey will end. In such times, we often turn to our own sources of guidance. We scroll through our phones in the loneliness of the night, trying to determine if we’ll make it until dawn. We use phone navigation to drive twenty minutes down the road, even when we should know the way. Our reliance on ourselves to guide the way has, even with good intentions, brought us and those we love closer and closer to danger.

These lights of our own making aren’t evil in and of themselves, but they’re not enough. Sometimes they even blind us to what’s truly around us. We need a light that never moves, never fades, and never fails—like a lighthouse that stands forever along the weathered, sea-beaten shore.

The Eternal Lighthouse of Life

A lighthouse such as this does exist. All that’s required is that we look away from the artificial lights of the world. This lighthouse forever gives warmth, comfort, and guidance. No matter how dark it becomes before the dawn, its light shines on. The darkness has no answer for it. The darkness cannot and will not overcome it.

This lighthouse is life-giving, penetrating the deep depths of our souls. When we choose to follow the true light from this lighthouse, we no longer drift aimlessly through the rough seas. We find the shore—and in time, we ourselves become lighthouses, guiding others home. It does this not because it has to, but because it wants to. This lighthouse will not be satisfied until all have seen its life-giving light. The eternal lighthouse is unselfish—it cares for us and uses us to help bring more ships safely to shore.

Have you seen the light? If so, bring your ship to full sail and set your course for the lighthouse of hope. Because once you go to that good light, you’ll never again feel hopelessness of being lost at sea.

The True Light

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him,
and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life,
and the life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light,
that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which enlightens everyone,
was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world was made through him,
yet the world did not know him.
He came to his own,
and his own people did not receive him.
But to all who did receive him,
who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God—
children who were born, not of blood
nor of the will of the flesh
nor of the will of man,
but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.

(John bore witness about him, and cried out,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘He who comes after me ranks before me,
because he was before me.’”)

From his fullness we have all received,
grace upon grace.
For the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God;
the only God, who is at the Father’s side,
he has made him known.

John 1:1–18, ESV