Jesus and The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

 

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, NC photo by pixabay

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

~Mark 16:15 KJV

We're planning our vacation to the Outer Banks of NC this summer so I've been doing a little research on the lighthouses we want to visit. Cape Hatteras is probably the most famous so that's the one I want to share about today. 

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has been built in a variety of ways. First, it was short and made of sandstone. It wasn't very visible to mariners. Later in the 1800's it was built on a floating foundation, built much taller, equipped with a Fresnel lens, and painted a distinguishable color. I'd like to examine some of these important features. 

The Sandstone - As we mentioned, the sandstone lighthouse was too short and too hard for mariners to see. It couldn't do the job. 

• When God commanded that sacrifices be made, they were only to be representations of the true sacrifice. They were simple altars made of stones. Even when the brass altar of the tabernacle was constructed it was still a symbol of the true sacrifice to come.

The Floating Foundation - When the foundation for the new construction of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was made in the 1800s the water table was only four feet down. Construction workers had to make a floating foundation by laying wood crossways below the water table. Then they placed granite on top of the wood to build the new lighthouse. 

• Jesus, the Rock of our salvation was placed upon a wooden cross. 

The Color and the Light - The Lighthouse Board regulated the color and the light patterns of each lighthouse so mariners could distinguish by day and by night where they were located. The area off the coast of North Carolina is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The lighthouse needed to be tall enough to see and the pattern of the light flashes at night needed to reach out far into the ocean so mariners knew how close they were to the rocky coast. The intersection of the ocean currents caused many ships to go down, casting the ships against the coast. Having the lighthouse to guide the way saved many ships and lives. 

• The Israelites were guided in the wilderness with a cloud by day and a fire by night. It guided them through a wilderness they had not traveled before. 

The Fresnel Lens - A Fresnel Lens is made up of triangular prisms of glass. This helps the light to go farther. Lighthouse lights are white lights because they go farther than colored lights. There were 1000 triangles in the Lens made for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. 

• Jesus is the Rock of our foundation. He is the Light of the world.  He is also our Savior on which the church is built. But, the members of the church are the ones commanded to take the gospel to the world. We are to reflect the Light in all we do. There is a world full of shipwrecked people out there who need the light of Jesus to safely guide them to salvation. 

Be the Light. 

Father, help us be aware of how we reflect your Light to others. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Are you going somewhere for a vacation? 

Have you researched the area, the possibilities?

How will your travels help you reflect the light of Jesus to others? 

Staying home this summer? 

There is always an adventure in our backyards. 

Kids' magazines are always looking for drawings and writings by kids! 

What will you discover this summer that you can share with other kids? 

How will you reflect the light of Jesus?