God Speaking

“Come, O House of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Isaiah 2:5)

A few weeks ago some friends and I had a frightening experience during a power outage in our building. I knew the elevator would not operate under the emergency power system so I had gone downstairs to escort my friends, who were coming to our Bible study, through the rarely used stairwell to our apartment. Just as the door from the lobby had slammed shut and we were on the stairs, the emergency lights suddenly stopped working. I don’t think I have ever experienced such incredible blackness. We couldn’t even see each other and for a moment a feeling of panic swept over me. I then remembered if I could reach the next landing there was a glass door leading to the resident parking that would give us some light. If I could hold open the door then all the others would have enough light to ascend the stairs safely. Sighs of relief echoed in the stairwell as I pushed open the door, held it open, and light lit up the darkness and as long as I held the door open everybody could see their way.

I was thinking what a wonderful example our experience was for all of us to remember, that on our Christian walk we accompany others and there will be times when we will be called upon to hold open that door to let the light in, when others are trapped in darkness. Darkness can take on all different forms as we pursue life; darkness can sweep over us when grief in losing a loved one occurs in our lives; darkness can engulf us when ugly doubt invades our minds; darkness can come in waves of pain in the betrayal of a friend. Sometimes a combination of so many forms of darkness beset us, depression leaves us bereft of any hope. St. John of the Cross, a Christian mystic, called this terrible experience as, “The dark night of the soul”

In the classic, “Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan, the main character, Christian comes across all forms of darkness, but before darkness can overcome him, companions appear beside him, the main ones being, Faithful and Hopeful, and because of their total belief in the Lord Jesus Christ they are able to shed light on whatever Christian is going through and he gains strength to keep going. Faithful and Hopeful both use God’s word to reassure Christian and my favourite scene comes at the end of the book where Christian is just about to enter the Celestial City, but there is the last river to cross and Christian nearly sinks as he is overcome by doubt, but Hopeful reminds him of Jesus’ love for him and he is able to cry out and remember these lovely words and with the strength that gives him, he holds his head above the water.

“When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee…” (Isaiah 43:2 KJV)

Over and over again the Psalmists knew that the Lord was the answer to any darkness in their lives,

“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” (Psalm 18:28)

When we know this truth deep in our hearts, we are able to walk beside those who are steeped in darkness and bring his light to dispel whatever is blocking theirs and when we look back on our own lives we can give thanks for those Faithful and Hopeful ones the Lord placed in our lives to shed light when we really needed it in our own times of darkness.

“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:9)

Related articles

• Organizing the Inside – Day 100 Darkness Always Gives Way to The Light (lizmason.wordpress.com)
• A Christian – Called OUT OF and IN TO (thepauls.wordpress.com)
• ‘dark night of the soul’ (onbeingmindful.wordpress.com)
• I See You (nwelford.wordpress.com)