“If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.”
Luke 11:36 NLT
When I read Luke 11 today, what struck me most was how Jesus moves from the image of light straight into His rebuke of the Pharisees. He’s showing that our lives are meant to shine like lanterns — but only when the right fuel is inside.
A lantern depends on its fuel, and our fuel is the Holy Spirit. Without Him, we may look like light but remain empty inside. This is exactly what Jesus confronted: a religious spirit that appeared holy but lacked true illumination.
In verse 52, He exposes their failure: they not only blocked light in their own lives but kept others from entering truth too. Religion without the Holy Spirit leaves us hollow and keeps others from hope too.
The life of the lantern is the Spirit of God. When He fills every corner of our lives, we shine as God intended — radiant and inviting.
This passage challenges me: am I filled with the Spirit or just keeping up appearances? Is my light shining from God’s presence or religious effort? Jesus is showing that when He fills every corner, we won’t just look alive — we’ll shine and invite others into His light.