Those hiding in darkness know how to hide, but we who have the light don’t know how to shine.
The world is darkness. Sin loves the shadow and the world is covered in thick enshrouding sin. The spiritual condition of the world is so pitch black that you couldn’t even see a bible right in front of your face. It’s pathetic in the way that a child without food, destitute and helpless is pathetic. This is our world; it’s spiritual economic status should stir within us feelings of sympathy not scorn. Darkness is a sad situation and a hopeless one as well. But, that God that’s not where the story ends.
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
–John 12:46
Before Christ came into the world, there was no light, because He is the Light of the World (John 8:12). The world is darkness. But, with Christ, there is light and darkness cannot coexist with light, it is an impossibility. In Christ is no darkness. Near Christ is abundant light. The wonderful thing about light is that even in a sea of darkness, one light can be seen for miles. All we need do to save someone from the darkness of sin and death is to point them to Christ, the source of all light. But also, we, as Christians, have been given the light of Christ for He dwells within us. The Bible says:
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
–1 Thessalonians 5:5
To us light has been imputed and installed. God is the first electrician; He invented light and has been installing it into the lives of believers ever since the Jesus gave us something to believe in. Those who believed in the coming Messiah were given the embers of a coming dawn. Slowly the glow of believers grew until the red embers turned into a blazing dawn. We are the noonday sun, the bright, burning light in the sky and still, we are only a reflection of the light of Christ.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; the rod and thy staff they comfort me.
–Psalm 23:4
This is my favorite part, so pay close attention. There is no shadow where there is no light. There is no shadow of death where there is no light of life. To walk through the valley where only a shadow of death exists is to walk beside the light of life which casteth the presence of death far from you. You see, it was called “The Valley of Death”, before the Master walked through it. Now, the Master is here with you in the valley and death has to flee, only the shadow remains; not because God cannot remove the shadow as well, but because He wants to remind us to trust in Him. Even though He always has everything under control, we still find reasons to fear. The shadow of death cannot harm us, but it can cause us to worry and doubt: even with the Master beside us and His light within us we can doubt. Human’s aren’t perfect. But God is, and there is no need to be afraid of the darkness.
As always, thanks for reading.
–the anonymous novelist