This familiar hymn discusses the necessity of an upper light and a lower light to safely guide ships into harbor. The fact that the hymn mentions a lighthouse has caused most readers to assume that a lighthouse has such an arrangement. However, this is an erroneous conclusion, for a lighthouse has only one light, a very strong beam which usually rotates in a circle to warn sailors of a dangerous promontory or reef. There is, however, one place where two lights are essential; every harbor has a guidance system composed of an upper and lower light. These two lights are positioned, one in an elevated position some distance inland and the other at the water's edge, so that when they are lined up vertically one knows that he is in mid-channel of the harbor entrance.
I had the privilege of living for a few years on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, and while there I frequently went sailing in my 24 foot sailboat. I would launch the boat at the Honolulu yacht harbor and proceed out beyond the reef to the open ocean. The harbor is quite large and many boats are safely moored there behind a long breakwater. However, the entrance is quite narrow with coral on both sides just under the surface, so one had to be careful to stay within the channel marked by buoys. One evening I was late coming in so that it was difficult to see the buoys, and I was rather apprehensive in my approach to the harbor. Then I saw the lights, the upper light and the lower light, and I no longer was afraid; all I had to do was line them up vertically and proceed safely into harbor. What a wonderful reassurance those two lights are to "poor fainting, struggling seamen."
I understand that a similar arrangement of lights is used to guide planes onto the deck of an aircraft carrier at night.
God has provided the upper light of the gospel, but He is depending on each of us to be the lower light to guide those who are lost and confused into the safe harbor of His love. Are we keeping our lights trimmed and constantly burning so that each one of us will be a faithful and true lower light?
