Playing In The Dark

I remember as a kid being a bit of afraid of the dark. When I go older, I became bolder and less afraid of the dark. I remember working on the security team in college and having to go into dark places (attics & basements) where darkness loomed. I must confess that I was a bit on edge. I have a profound respect for people who have to work the night shift. It is a whole different world when the darkness settles in. Darkness can hide lots of things. Darkness can cover up. I can work in the darkness IF I have a flashlight to see what I need to see. I’m not a fan of doing much after dark except resting and going to bed. Jesus called us “The Light of The World”, which was also a title given to Him. He contrasts darkness with light and challenges us to live in the light. This is where John was going in the first letter/epistle. Check this out…

⁵ This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. ⁶ So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. ⁷ But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7 NLT)

John is certainly speaking figuratively regarding light and darkness. He is very clear that darkness represents evil and death.  Light represents all that is good and full of life. These two concepts cannot co-exist. Either you have light or not. The thicker the darkness, the more significant one small light can be. I love the new LED light that cuts through darkness like a knife and uses very little power to do so.  Light & Darkness are silent. I see darkness as sneaky and devious. I see light as loud and very clear. I remember a song that DC Talk recorded years ago that was catching and helped me along in my journey to keep walking in the Light.

I keep trying to find a life
On my own, apart from You
I am the king of excuses
I’ve got one for every selfish thing I do 

What’s going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I’m still a man in need of a Savior 

Chorus: I want to be in the Light
As You are in the Light
I want to shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, Lord be my Light and be my salvation
Cause all I want is to be in the Light
All I want is to be in the Light 

The disease of self runs through my blood
It’s a cancer fatal to my soul
Every attempt on my behalf has failed
To bring this sickness under control 

Honesty becomes me
[There’s nothing left to lose]
The secrets that did run me
[In Your presence are defused]
Pride has no position
[And riches have no worth]
The fame that once did cover me
[Has been sentenced to this Earth]
Has been sentenced to this Earth 

(“In The Light” written by John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant)

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Pressing On!

Dwayne