Looking for Light in the Darkness

     If you would ask my kids they would tell you that I don't use my I-Phone to its potential.  I don't talk much on it and compared to the three of them my texting is almost nonexistent.  I occasionally add and use apps on it but I probably really don't need all the bells and whistles that this phone has. But there is one thing I love about my phone. When I push that button at the bottom of it there is instant light!  I love that it does that because I have to be honest here...  I really don't like the dark. In the darkness, all of my worries and troubles seem to build like a thunderstorm on a humid, spring day. In the darkness, a night of sickness seems to tick by second by second at the pace of a snail. In the darkness, my body craves light like a plant that turns itself towards the warmth of the afternoon sun. In the darkness, hope seems to slip away from me.  So if I find myself in the dark I find myself pushing that button. It's not a huge amount of light but it comforts me.  It can also guide me to a place where I can find more light.

     Of course the kind of light I am talking about in the previous paragraph has to do with what physicists call   "electromagnetic radiation to which the organs of sight react".  Whoa! that's a mouthful!  Today, though, I want to focus on another way we can talk about light and darkness. When Adam and Eve lived in the garden of Eden with God they were told not to eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  But the serpent deceived them and made them doubt and they made a bad choice.  Their choice separated all of us from God. We are in darkness because of our sin. I heard an excellent example of this the other night at church from one of our pastors so I am going borrow his example and put it into my own imagery and words.  Imagine that this separation is like you and God standing on opposite sides of the Grand Canyon.  You can try to build a bridge back to God with good things that you do or the way you treat others but you will never be able to get to that other side because we are all sinners.  No matter what we do we can never mend that separation.  God's word says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)  So no matter how hard you are out there working on that bridge it will never make it all the way across that wide canyon.  But, God had a plan.  Even in our wildest dreams we could not have imagined a fix like this one.  When Jesus died on the cross it was like God used that cross as a mega-bridge. The vertical portion became a strong girder into the canyon and the horizontal section became the span of a bridge across that large canyon back to God.  We can now cross from darkness into the light.  Jesus has said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:11-13)  When you hear this story of light and darkness you have to decide what to do with it.  Are you going to take this gift of light and salvation and accept what Jesus did for you or are you going to run the opposite way back into the darkness? 

     Now, let me tell you, there is a lot of darkness out there in this fallen world and you don't have to look very far to find it.  It is creeping around you this very moment!  Immorality and addiction run the streets.  Hopelessness and despair curl up in the dark corners of rooms.  Fear and disillusion crowd the hearts of many.  The pain and suffering of sin blots out the life of those who choose not to believe.  "For the wages of sin is death -separation from God from all time, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)  This is good news for those of us who don't like the dark!  If you feel like the darkness has already swallowed you up and there is no way out, let me tell you that is a lie!  That is a lie perpetuated by Satan himself just like he did in the garden with Adam and Eve.  There is nothing that you can do that will separate you from Jesus' love if you believe in what he did for you. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

     Does this mean that our lives will become a cakewalk?  Does it mean we won't ever meet with trouble?  Will all our problems disappear?  Of course not.  But what the light does is give us hope.  It challenges us to rise up to fight the lies perpetuated by Satan in so many ways here on earth.  God gives us the tools to defeat the darkness. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of  God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when that day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."  (Ephesians 6:10-18a).

     So here it is--your chance to get out of the darkness!  Start moving toward the light now!!


If you are looking to get out of darkness click on any of the buttons above for more information on how to find the light!  Plus here is a great song from Sanctus Real about God's light and what he has done for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOvX0aADP0M

Content In All Things

  The child on the video held the shoe box as though he had just been handed the world.  One would think that the greatest treasure of all was in the box he held.  But in reality the box had some simple toys- a Matchbox car and a rubber ball.  Nothing that ran on batteries or electricity!  Also in it were toiletry items such as a wash cloth, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste.  The remaining contents were school supplies like paper, colored pencils and a pencil sharpener. The box the boy held was a Christmas gift given to him through a program called Operation Christmas Child.  This program started by the ministry,Samaritan's Purse, has given nearly 1 million Christmas boxes to children since its inception in 1993.  I thought about how different this scene was from the ones that would occur around the world every Christmas season.  Crowds of pushing, rude people running to get the "best" sales on Black Friday, expensive toys with all the newest bells and whistles, ungrateful family members rushing back the day after to exchange a gift they just can't stand were scenes that ran through my mind.  How different from this small boy whose face beamed as he held his small treasures!

  Over the past couple of weeks God has been continually bringing the word contentment to my devotional time and to my thoughts throughout the day.  Being content in this world can be very difficult and I struggle with this concept.  I am sure that many of you have struggles with this, too.  It's hard not to buy into the world's ideas on what should make us content.  We are bombarded with messages that tell us what the best things in life are.  Greed and want seem to crowd out clear thinking while millions go into deep debt.  We are led to believe that lots of money and a big house will get us there.  We are shown how the newest piece of technology can make our lives so much easier.  Athletes, actors and actresses are splashed across the television and in magazines showing us the "good life".  If only we had more, more, more or different, different, different then we would have contentment.  Many of us spend so much time in our lives trying to find, buy or work our way there that we never have time to actually think about what it is to be content.  Here is what God says about these things.

     But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.     1 Timothy 6:6-11

  The more we pursue a godly life these other things fall away as unimportant and the more content we can become.  We can see the blessings in our lives more clearly and be happy with who we are than what things we have.  Timothy specifically says "godliness with contentment" will give us great gain.

   I have looked deeper into what God wants for us in the area of contentment and this is what I have found. After receiving gifts from the people in Phillipi the Apostle Paul sent this message, 

     I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.     Philippians 4:10-13

Sometimes when I read this passage I think how amazing it is.  Paul was in prison at this time for sharing the story of Jesus.  I am sure this was not a place of comfort but yet Paul says that he has learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  But I want you to focus on the last line in this passage.  He gives God the glory for helping him to be content.  Once again we see that gaining full contentment is only possible with the help of God.

  I think emotions can play a big part in this.  For example, the past couple of weeks I had a few rough days at home and at school.  I was tired and feeling a little blue.  My emotions told me that what I had in life was not good  enough.  My brain started to think in a negative pattern.  Instead of being content I started to complain to anyone who would listen.  If only I had....,  If only my husband would....,  If only I could...., If only my children realized....  But then in my quiet time with God he spoke to me through a devotional book I had been reading.  These were the exact words, "You have been on a long, uphill journey and your energy is almost spent,  Though you have faltered at times, you have not let go of My hand.  I am pleased with your desire to stay close to Me.  There is one thing, however, that displeases Me, your tendency to complain."  (Jesus Calling, Sarah Young)  Talk about being stopped right in my tracks! God knew exactly what I had been doing! Letting your emotions rule is dangerous.

  So during this ongoing journey to discover more about contentment I have learned a few things.  I need to focus on what God has given me already and what he has done for me in the past.  It's even helpful to write down all your blessings and pull that list out from time to time to remind you of what you do have!  Being truly content does not come from the world but from God.  If I am not content I need to talk to God about it not just complain to others around me.  They cannot fix my situation.  If we allow God to help us pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness then we can learn to be content in all things, too.  Then, just like that small boy with the Christmas shoe box, we will be beaming with contentment, too!



If you are interested in taking part in Operation Christmas Child this year click on this link: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ .You will never regret the decision to send a gift to one of these children!