A few years ago, lightning struck the transformer in our backyard. We immediately lost power, which was a big problem for my daughter who was taking a shower in a bathroom without any windows. Finding herself suddenly surrounded by total darkness, her first instinct was to cry out in fear. In the other room, my wife and I began looking for the flashlights and camping lanterns. We had experienced power outages before, and we knew that the solution was to find some light.
Many Christians feel the darkness closing in these days. Some may have felt the darkness coming at a painfully slow crawl, like watching the shadow of the trees stretch out as the sun descends toward the horizon. Maybe you find yourself simply hoping Christ will return before the darkness gets too bad.
Others may feel like the darkness has come unexpectedly, like when your house loses power. Maybe you’re shell-shocked by the darkness and don’t know what to do.
In the face of such fears I am reminded of the 2016 Synod Convention in Milwaukee, where Bishop Torkllid Masvie of the Lutheran Church in Norway reminded the delegates that we were not born into this moment to curse the darkness, but to be a light. What an important reminder this is!
We are reminded throughout Scripture that, as God’s people, we are called to bring His light to a world in darkness:
- The life that we have in Jesus is a light that shines in the darkness of this world, and this world will never overcome that light (John 1:4-5);
- We are a city on a hill whose light cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14);
- And the light that we shine is not our own light; it is the Word of God, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105).
The simple truth is that the world has always been in the darkness of sin and death. While it may feel like the darkness is growing even darker, we take comfort in the realization that in such darkness the light of Jesus shines all the more brightly. A little pen light that doesn’t even look like it’s on under the midday sun will shine brilliantly in the dead of a dark and moonless night. As the world around us grows darker, the truth of God’s Word will shine ever brighter!
So as the darkness continues to spread through the world around us, may we continue to shine the light of God’s Word. Christ himself is the light that has dawned on a people living in great darkness (Matthew 4:16). May we who are the Body of Christ today continue to shine His light, for He is the light of the world, and whoever lives in Him will have the light of life (John 8:12).
Photo (c) Inbetween/Lightstock
