Light?

“Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.”
― Anne Frank

     I lived in an old house years ago.  From the center of the ceiling in our bedroom hung one single light bulb.  To turn on the light you reached around in the pitch black trying to locate a small string dangling above your head.  Many nights I became frustrated searching for that string with both hands, relieved that the light was off so nobody could see what I looked like throwing my arms around above my head searching and becoming more frustrated.  I have a picture.  When we come to know Christ He gives us one little 25 watt light bulb to screw into the socket in our heart.  We then pull the little string and the light shines from us.  The more we learn about God and the closer we get to Him, we graduate to a 40 watt and then 60.  The light shines brighter and we see it in each other.  We recognize it as it gets brighter because it shines in our eyes and eventually beams off every part of us.
     As Satan and the angels who follow him are banned to the darkness, the brighter our bulbs shine the further he is forced to stay from us.  But then we sin.  We reach into our hearts and pull the little string and our hearts become dark.  Satan can now move in us.  It's an invitation.  Some of us don't even realize we have turned out the light.  Others are tearing into the darkness searching frantically for the little string that turns the light back on.  



Colossians 1:12-14  New International Version (NIV)

12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[a] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

     We say we want to be in the light, but yet we choose to hide in the darkness so no one can see who we truly are. We fear coming out into the light, because if people knew us they would surely turn away. Even though we hate the darkness there is a safety that envelopes us like a blanket. It's not really safety at all. It's familiar. We sit in the same chair, drink the same drink, wear the same clothes, drive the same route, because it is safe and our expectations will always be met. We know this, because it has happened so many times before. Many people watch the same movie repeatedly, because they know the ending. It's the unknown we truly fear. But when we are in the dark all that is around us is unknown. We can't see it until we reach up and pull that little string.


“End of Construction. Thank you 'for your patience. " Inscription on Ruth Bell Graham's grave -- inspired by a road sign she saw.”
― Billy Graham, Nearing Home: Thoughts on Life, Faith, and Finishing Well