Walk in the darkness and find the Light in Christ!

Walk in the Darkness and find the Light in Christ!

How many times the darkness appears in scripture and the light has overcome it.  “The earth was a formless wasteland and darkness covered the abyss.”  “Then God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.”  (Gn 1: 2, 3).

“What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”   (Jn 1: 3b - 5).

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that over the land of Egypt there may be such intense darkness that one can feel it.”  (Ex 10: 21).  

“Discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you; Saving you from the way of evil men, from men of perverse speech, who leave the straight paths to walk in ways of darkness, who delight in doing evil, rejoice in perversity; whose ways are crooked, and devious their paths.”  (Prv 2: 11 - 15).

Observe , my son, your father’s bidding, and reject not your mother’s teaching; Keep them fastened over your heart always, put them around your neck;  for the bidding is a lamp, and a teaching a light, and a way to live are the reproofs of discipline.”  (Prv 6: 20 -23).

From these several scripture verses we can see how darkness has become the very abode of evil, hidden where no one can view, and without the light of Christ who created it the enemies of God and all his goodness are subject to attacks.  Perhaps the best advice comes to us from Proverbs and following the wisdom therein will bring us the vision of light, who is Christ.

Anytime someone decides to reach out in sin on unsuspecting people it is from a darkened area where evil hides.  In the light evil is smothered with goodness and it turns to run back to its environs of darkness.  Hell is at times described as an eternal darkness that even there the wayfarers can not see what they lost by their own choice.  The depth of sin is so intense that no rays of light can penetrate the wall that separates the good and the bad.  

We can only feel a remorseful attitude towards those who inhabit hell and be glad we have the grace of a God who is known as Light, so intense that we cannot even look directly at him in this cloak of humanity.  Staying in the light is a reflection of God’s love and a pathway to him who knows only light and love. 

Our solace of light is reflected in avoiding the darkness that is ever present in our world.  Walk into a darkened room and find the light switch that energizes the light bulbs.  During a storm that causes the electricity to shut down we stumble looking for a match to light a candle.  Once a candle is lit we feel relieved and go about our tasks.  That is what even one candle can represent the presence of Christ in the darkest room.  See the quote from John's Prologue, “What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race.”  (Jn 1: 3 - 4).

Ralph B. Hathaway