This little light

Isaiah 42:3 NIV “… a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.”

Another favorite verse. In high school, I recall coming across this verse and becoming enamored with the visual of a smoldering wick. I admit I’ve always been mesmerized by fire. Whether it’s a little candle flame bouncing and flickering or a roaring bonfire in our outdoor stove, I easily get lost in the light.  A smoldering wick is hard to witness, though usually you’ll spot it by the amount of smoke coming from the tiny and fading flame. All it takes is the slightest breeze or even an inadvertent exhale for the light to go out at this stage. 

It gives me great encouragement to believe that Christ, who this verse is talking about, will not let that meager flame be extinguished. When I began to meditate on this verse, I pictured all the things that try to snuff out our flames. Crises of betrayal, illness, and loss are represented in the artwork as hurricane-force wind. The water bucket dousing the flame depicts distractions, schedules, and to-do lists. I used a car exhaust as another source of snuffing our flames, symbolizing all the toxicity and negativity that overwhelms us. That type of pollution can come from external sources and our thoughts that try to smother our flames with doubt or fear. Finally, I chose the fan to embody the idea of turning to empty promises that we hope will “fan” our flames. Usually, these false hopes aren’t just useless but end up squelching our fire. 

All those elements may try to snuff out my light, but Christ will not. In fact, I picture him as the protective hands shielding my little flame. In the safety of his shelter, my inner flame can burn on! May you be reminded to turn to him when you feel your wick is smoldering and about to go out.