Children of the Light
I was in my bible study this morning and we were talking about one of the many passages in the Bible that talk about light and darkness, Ephesians 4.
We began by talking about the physical difference between light and darkness. How darkness was essentially the lack of light. Upon discussing further, many people talked about how fearful they were of the dark when they were young. And how even today, there can still be fear of the dark!. One woman talked about how when they were spelunking (in a cave) with their family and they all turned off their flashlights. It was suddenly so dark. She described it as “so dark you can almost physically feel it”. And isn’t that how it is sometimes?!
In the group we also talked about negative influences of social media. So as I went home after group was over, I researched some of the negative topics that we were talking about. Different new negative things online and I just was so saddened and frankly filled with fear of what I found. It is just so, so dark. And my heart began to break for people. As you may know, my husband is a pastor and we work a lot with the youth in the church. I began thinking of how some kids that no longer attend the church have journeyed on and ended up in just such dark places. And it hurts me. To know so many of our kids and teens are hurting and living surrounded by these dark things. Feeling so often alone and scared in the dark.
I wish I could do more. I wish I could hide them from these dark things. I wish I could take away the pain for all of them. But I can’t.
However, this brings me to second part of the woman’s story in my small group. She went on to say that “When we were in the cave, you could feel the darkness, it was so dark. But let me tell you…. that feeling when a flashlight turned on?!.” When she said this, my heart honestly jumped. I know that feeling. To me it was the release of a breath. An exhale that everything is going to be all right. The fear is shattered by the light. And immediately I was brought to tears. That is exactly what God is like for us. A flashlight in a dark place.
In a world absolutely filled with filthy darkness, God offers us light. He is the Light.
And if that isn’t awesome enough, get this. He isn’t even phased by the darkness. He sees through the darkness. I absolutely love this passage in Psalm 139 that correlates so closely with the passage in Ephesians.
Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you’re there!
If I go underground, you’re there!
If I flew on morning’s wings
to the far western horizon,
You’d find me in a minute—
you’re already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I’m immersed in the light!”
It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you;
night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.- Psalm 139: 7-12
So all of this to say, I am sitting here so overwhelmed by darkness. Saddened and scared by what the world can put on us. I hurt for our kids and our friends. I wish I could take away pain for people… but I can’t. But what I can do is point towards a God who can. God can bring light because He is light. So I know it doesn’t go with my “branding” messages or home blog decor, but as a woman of Christ I want to shed some of the light of Christ. Even if for one person, I hope to bring God’s light to the internet. A realm where so much darkness occurs.
I might try to do it every Thursday, and I think I am going to try to be sure to include a passage of Scripture. Because more than any words I can say, God’s word is the “truth that will set you free” (John 8:32). So I hope that in whatever place you are, that you can know that God is light. He is in the cave, he can see all around the cave. So turn on the flashlight, let Him lead, and exhale knowing that it is going to be all right.
