Walking Out of Darkness
Wow, there is a lot of good stuff in these verses, as in any verses from God’s Word. When we live in the darkness we cannot see all we need to see. Read this funny story about walking in the light. Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was taking his hired man to task for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his best girl. “Why,” he exclaimed, “when I went a-courtin’ I never carried one of them things. I always went in the dark.” “Yes,” the hired man said wryly,” and look what you got!” Jesus Christ, the light of the world, came to give us light and show us the way to life. But not only show us the way to life, but He shows us how to live as lights to lead others to His glorious light. In Isaiah 9:2 the prophet prophesied about the coming Messiah and said The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. The light is available and shines brightly for all to see. Yet some will not see or believe. Verse 7 in 1 Peter 2 shares this truth Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, and a stone that cause people to stumble and a rock that make them fall.
People who walk around in the darkness bump into things and they can get tripped up and not know what they are tripping over. Proverbs 4:18-19 says But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble. It is easy to get tripped up. The hard part is to figure out what tripped you up. Those who don’t know Jesus do not even realize what is tripping them up because they are living in darkness and have no light to shine on their path. Those who know Jesus have the light of the Lord to shine on their path, which is a narrow path, and they can see what is tripping them so they can avoid it the next time. That is the difference between no hope and hope. The difference is Jesus and His light shining on us and through us.
We would love for all people to come to know Jesus, the light, but sadly they don’t. It should never stop us from showing them the light though and when we offer them Jesus we are shining His light in their darkness. John 1:5 says 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. If the darkness cannot comprehend the light, then it stands to reason those in the darkness will not comprehend the light either. It is necessary that we as believers do what Proverbs 4:18 says and let His light shine brighter and brighter through our lives and grow in our faith so that His righteousness, which is of great worth, will be seen clearly by those in the darkness. Sure the darkness is very prevalent in our world, but the light of Lord is always brighter than the darkness and exposes the lies and dead end street of the darkness. We don’t try to elevate ourselves to shine the light. We elevate the Lord and His light shines and shows them the condition of their heart and mind. John the Baptist testified about the light, even though he wasn’t the light and led many to repentance and life change. We are called to be those who testify of the light and share the message of hope through Jesus Christ. Jesus is coming again and our mission is more important than ever before, so now is the time to “get with it!”
If you are rejected when you share Jesus, then they aren’t rejecting you but Jesus who sends you out. We are just reflectors of the light and Jesus shining through our lives will help those who are lost find their way to the light. Share the light of Jesus and share the hope that only He can give. Become who Jesus called you to be from the beginning and see the light get brighter each day. Jesus said this in Matthew 5:16 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Walk out of darkness and the futility of that thinking and come alive in your faith. Jesus wants to shine through you. Let Him shine!!!
The Pilgrimage continues…..
David Warren