Spiritual darkness is a reality today. We hear news of the conflict in the Middle East, of Venezuelan gangs taking over cities in our country, the number of illegal immigrants that are murderers and sex offenders and we shake our heads. But we don’t have to look outside our own homes to discover spiritual darkness. Don’t try to deny the darkness that is in your own soul. It is real. And all these things are constant reminders of the one who started and continues to revel in the darkness: Satan. We need light.
The one who first said “Let there be light” at creation said it again as He sent His light into the world again. Listen to how John describes what happened when God said again, “Let there be light!”
John 1:1-9 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
Christ is that light who not only reveals the sin that darkness tries to hide, but wants to bring into His light all who are languishing in the darkness. Jesus came for the sole purpose of overcoming the darkness for fallen mankind, and He did that with a perfect life and a substitutionary death. Everyone who trusts in Him receives the benefit of what He did and enters into the light. We have heard and believe and know and live in the light of Christ!
As those who have been enlightened and redeemed, we are meant to be lights. Granted, we are simply lower case lights, but lights nonetheless. Authentic lights cannot be concealed as Scripture makes clear.
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
Philippians 2:15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
On a recent trip to the hill country of Texas, Cheryl and I went on a cave tour of Cascade Caverns outside of Boerne. We have been in a lot of caves over the years, but this was our first time to this one. As is typical, at one point during the tour they turn out all the lights so that you can experience total darkness. Our guide left the lights off for almost a full minute. During that time, she told us that the Nazi did a horrible experiment on the effects of people living in total darkness. They forced people to live in total darkness for long periods, providing them only with food and water. After six months living that way, they were all blind. Even after they were brought out of the darkness, they could no longer see.
It may seem to be that way for people living in the darkness of sin. We may think that they will never see the light. But the Light of Christ overpowers all darkness (John 1:5). That light had shined into your heart. And it is God’s intent that all those with a “little gospel light of mine” should shine together into every corner of the world and on every person to overcome the darkness. Let there be light!
