light in darkness

We have a new family member- her name is Lexi and she is a precious little Boston Terrier.  She was a gift from a dear friend that worked with Brian for years before she retired.....

On Wednesday of this week Brasen and I had to make our trip to Oklahoma City for his transplant check up (we do this every three months now) which means early mornings for everyone.  At 4 a.m. that morning I was standing in our back yard with Lexi trying to get her to, well..... do her job.  Our yard has beautiful large old trees that offer beautiful shade in the summer but make a huge mess in the fall so there are tons of leaves still falling and making big jumping piles (as our kids call them) all over the yard.  On this particular morning there was a slight breeze so Lexi was not wanting to venture out in the yard where the rustling was taking place because she was afraid a monster of some kind would get her (yes, she told me this so just accept this excuse:0).  As I looked out in the yard the moonlight shown all over and it gave a soft white glow- to my eye it didn't look that dark but I thought I would help her out and turn on the porch light.  To my surprise, once the porch light had been turned on the darkness in the yard immediately seemed to get thicker and even darker than before.  It was the strangest thing.  When I was standing in the darkness without the bright light I became accustomed to it and the light from the moon seemed to be enough but when I turned the bright light on- it emphasized how dark the darkness truly was.

As I stood there, cup of coffee in hand, I realized this is much like the life that we lead.  This is why we have to use such great caution when we walk through this world.

When we stand in this world we are, let's face it, surrounded by darkness.  We have pressures on every side- watching the news can cause a person to curl up in a fetal position and cry at times due to the terrible things that are going on all over the globe.  It is so easy to walk around and get accustomed to the darkness.  It is so easy to allow the soft glow of some sort of spiritual inspiration to give us just enough light to see- so that we think we are okay.  It is so easy to listen to our worship music in our cars, read spiritual quotes on pinterest (yes, I went there) and get our daily updates from Joyce Meyer on Facebook and think that it is enough to sustain us.  When, in reality- it is far from enough.  The darkness starts to close in and before we know it, we have forgotten how dark it is.

We need to turn our porch lights on and get reminded of how powerful, bright, warm and piercing our faith can be in a dark world.  If we, Christ followers, allow ourselves to become numb to the darkness- the world will remain dark and ugly.  Satan will win and the light will no longer shine in the darkness.  However, if we stop living a life of complacency- I can only begin to imagine what power can be released and what miracles will begin to happen.  He is the light of the world and we can share that light- if we are not walking comfortably in the darkness.

I want to encourage you today to not become comfortable.  Step out, walk in faith and ask Him to come into your world and change it in a way that only He can.   Listen to this song until the very end.  An old hymn but powerful lyrics.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things, of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden."