November 26, 2008
Darkness
In driving back and forth to the jail it is not unusual to see some animals of different sorts crossing the roads; snakes, rabbits, mice coyotes etc. In a suburban community like ours most of the game moves about under the cover of darkness. They are here during the day, you simply don't see them as often.
There are other things moving in the darkness too and few of them are pretty
or cuddly. There is an old song lyric that goes "evil grows in the dark, where
the sun it never shines. Evil grows in cracks and holes and lives in people's
minds." I think that's a pretty good characterization of evil.
It's true that evil grows in the daylight too, but it seems much less willing to
show its face. Evil things and people like the darkness and shadows. They prefer
to keep anonymous and hidden. Shine a light in their direction and like insects
of the night they scurry for darkness.
We live in a culture that is becoming increasingly shadowed. Things once only
whispered in the dark are now celebrated in the day. That means the shadows must
be deepening. Perversion, blasphemy and evil of all forms seem to be becoming
increasingly badges of honor, while things like prudence, integrity, honesty and
duty are scoffed at more and more.
We are a culture that celebrates the "easy way". Why do things right when you
can short cut? We celebrate all forms of evil and call it tolerance. The shadows
grow deeper. As they do the need for light grows ever more desperate.
Evil times are not the time for believers to retreat to their little Christian
fortresses to hole up in relative safety. Yes we need to gather to encourage and
strengthen one another, but we aren't supposed to stay there. We are supposed to
be the light on the hill that acts as a beacon to those groping about in the
dark.
Most are in the dark because that is where they choose to remain.
John 3:16-20 NET
For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did
not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should
be saved through him. The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who
does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the
name of the one and only Son of God. Now this is the basis for judging: that the
light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the
light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the
light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.
Yet, we know that many are yet to be rescued. You and I were rescued from the
kingdom of darkness.
1 Peter 2:9 NET
...you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his
own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light.
E
Evil thrives in the dark, yet in the dark even a small light can be seen from a
very great distance. I think of flying at night. I can look down and see little
lights from homes that are sometimes many miles from anything else. They are
little beacons in the darkness seeming to call out "You can find safety here".
Stand fast against the coming shadows. Let the love of Jesus shine through you
so that all can see it. Sometimes there are risks associated with standing
against evil and darkness but the eternal rewards are great.
Until next time, may you blaze like a torch against the night. The light you
shed might be the only light in Christ keeping the evil from you and you loved
ones.
Be Blessed
Darrel Mason