Pushing Back the Darkness

The opening words of Psalm 27 are “The Lord is my light.” When I first read those words I thought of a light in the darkness, something that helps us to see our way.

Over the years I have been involved in 11 family retreats, directed 5 summer youth camps, taken a group of 21 on a two week hike along the Appalachian Trail, and directed some 10 youth retreats. Almost all of these events took place at a remote camp or conference site, a place where, when everything was over, you had to walk back to your cabin or room in the dark. For some reason I cannot explain, the one item I forgot almost every time, except for the two weeks on the Appalachian Trail, has been a flash light. I have stumbled over more roots than I can count, have missed several trailheads, and walked straight past a dark cabin multiple times. I seem to have a mental block about flashlights when it comes to my checklist before I leave.

The flashlight image is how most of us think of the light of our Heavenly Father, something to help us find our way. It is a candle to reveal for us the roots, turns in the trail, and our destination as we walk along the paths of life. Certainly, this idea of light goes with the next words in that verse. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Our relationship to our Heavenly Father brings us out of the dark and shows us that straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life.

However, there is another aspect of light that we tend to forget. I think we often choose to forget it because it is less pleasant than the warm and inviting light that helps locate home and hearth. This aspect of light is not the flashlight; it is the searchlight. The searchlight reveals. It highlights that which often wishes to remain hidden. The floodlights you may have around your home help you find your way in the night if you are walking around the yard, but you probably had them installed first as a security feature, to highlight the people who would use the cover of darkness to find an entry point into your home.

When God’s light shines on us it reveals us as we really are. Our many faults and failings, the things we would so much like to keep hidden are brought out into the bright light of God’s holiness. This too is salvation, for it is only when we recognize our need for salvation that we fall at the feet of Jesus Christ and ask him to grant us that which he has already prepared for us.

The light of Christ shining out from us, helps us and others find our way in this world. The light of Christ shining on us, reminds us that we never grow out of our need for the forgiveness that comes through Christ. Both of these lights show us the path of salvation. 

Pastor Craig

There Is No Darkness

It is not darkness where we move, for God is Light. It is not loneliness, for Christ is with us. It is also not unknown territory, for Christ is already there.[1]

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.[2]

Why would we ever doubt? Why would we ever be afraid? If Christ is already in our future, if he is present in the dark where we think we should fear, if he is always with us in every situation. . . how can we be so ineffective as disciples?

We live our lives as though Christ is not risen, as though we would have to face our gloomy days without hope, and as though the sun would never rise and displace the darkness that seems to surround us. Hebrews 11 is the great chapter of the heroes of the Old Testament. We would long to travel in the company of people who were so strong in their faith. However, that chapter leads into the thought that we are the ones they envy. They look at us as the possessors of the great mysteries of the faith which they longed to see but never fully realized. The twelfth chapter claims we are now center stage and these Old Testament heroes look upon our journey and ask, “What will they do with this great treasure that we never saw?”

At times it seems the answer is, “Little!” We live as if it has not happened. We talk about the obstacles before us and forget the Savior that stands with us. We continue to fear the dark. We continue to feel like Elijah and claim, “I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too!”[3]

Jesus Christ has not deserted you. He has not left you to battle your doubts and fears alone. He does not leave you to an uncertain future. No, he leads you and me towards a future that is bright with hope. It is bright with hope because it is bright with his presence. It is hopeful because he is already there. We question and doubt because we listen to the words of Satan when he tells us we are too weak, too few, too incompetent to handle such an awesome task as taking the Good News of Jesus Christ to a lost world.

What we have just read tells us that he is so wrong. May we accept Christ’s leadership for us into the future of bright hope and love.

Pastor Craig

---

[1] Charles Kingsley

[2] I Thessalonians 4:13

[3] I Kings 19