Lighthouses are an especially relevant analogy for the commands of Jesus. Before GPS and radio navigation aids, a compass and lighthouses were used extensively for navigation. The commands of Jesus as a whole form a moral compass with the individual commands providing more specific moral guidance for everyday living.
Lighthouses allowed ships to routinely travel more confidently and reliably with greatly enhanced safety for crew and cargo by marking hidden shoals and guidance into sure deep water navigation channels. The commands of Jesus often mark personal blind spots and give guidance for righteous behavior.
For traveling on the water at night lighthouses were even more essential for safety. Its point of light was a sure indicator of precise location to give the mariner a relative bearing for his or her own position. The commands of Jesus similarly point to sure moral truth whereby individuals can compare their own attitudes and actions and make correction as needed.
During inclement weather a lighthouse could mean the difference between safety and total loss of ship and crew. The commands of Jesus are a certain source of truth and therefore moral direction and emotional comfort during the sometimes turbulent circumstances of life that all of us endure.
One more important truth is that my wife is an avid photographer of Michigan lighthouses. She has traveled to over 130 of them and I love these photos, not only because of the relevant analogies I mentioned above but also because they are beautiful and have such historical significance and personal significance. I hope you enjoy them. Her work can be seen here: http://dawncarlson.zenfolio.com/
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