When we moved to our present home on a country road where there are no streetlights, one of the first improvements I installed was a light fixture on the front of the garage! Coming home from many evening meetings, I did not like walking in the dark from my car to the house. Stumbling over a skunk or being surprised by some other creature has little appeal to me. That little light comes on at dusk and shines all night, creating a little circle of clarity in the drive so I can walk confidently to the door.
Christian, you can know great confidence in life today. You need not stumble around in confusion, look over your shoulder in fear, or worry about tripping up – if you live in the Light! Paul tells us that " you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:8-14, NIV) The Message says, in that last line, “climb out of your coffin!”
Are you hanging onto old ways, habits, thought patterns, and values from your ‘pre-Christ’ days? Are you refusing to live in faith, hanging onto resentment, loving something that you know in your heart is wrong? Then, you are stumbling around in the dark. Too often when I am counseling with someone struggling in their life, I hear statements like this: “Pastor, I love the Lord, (and I know they think they do) but, (yes, here it is) I just cannot let go of _______________ (and they fill in some sin from which they know they should be free.)” They are sleeping in a coffin and wondering why they feel like death. Their compromise darkens their path and makes them fearful, rightfully so.
Justice Louis Brandeis (US Supreme Court) remarked about the importance of transparency in public policy a century ago saying, “Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.” He was stating the obvious – bright sunlight kills deadly microbes and crime disappears where street lights are installed. The principle is true spiritually, too. Jesus is the Light and invites us to live where He shines. If we are compromised, we will not do it because we will not risk the exposure of our true self. But, if we are living honestly with ourselves and our world, dealing ruthlessly with ungodliness, taking the power of the Spirit as our strength – we will leave the darkness behind and stride into a new confidence found only in His Light.
Here is the word from the Word- "Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.” (John 8:12, The Message)
"You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9, NLT)
Want to live with new confidence this week? Get out of the shadows, step into the Light!
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Step Into The Sunshine
Step into the sunshine,
Get out of the shade.
This is the one time,
That you've got it made.
And you can feel yourself smilin'
Way down to your shoes.
Step into the sunshine,
Find the great, good news!
Lord have mercy
On the long-lost child
Who wants to come home,
But the world's gone wild.
Lookin' all around,
For a way to begin.
Open the windows-
Let The Light pour in!
I said “open the windows
Let The Light pour in.”
Clark Gassman | Molly Ann Leikin
© 1978 Bud John Songs
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