Living in the Light – August 4, 2019

(The Father) has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:12-14

Living in the Light

Five-year-old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go in alone. “It’s dark in there and I’m scared.” She asked again, and he persisted. Finally she said, “It’s OK—Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: “Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?” (Charles Allen, Victory in the Valleys)

Many people, like Johnny, are afraid of the dark. It is frightening not to know what’s out there waiting for you, what might jump out to grab you.

Those who do not know Jesus spend their lives in spiritual darkness. They don’t know what tragedy might jump out to grab them on any given day. They don’t know what is waiting for them when they face death one day. All of us were born this way. We did not know who God is or how we might know him.

Since we cannot find God, he finds us. He reaches out to us in the darkness and pulls us into the light of Jesus Christ. Seeing Jesus means seeing God. In Jesus, we see that God loves us and forgives us. We no longer need to be afraid of what is waiting for us when we face death. We have eternal life. We no longer need to fear what will happen in this life. We have an all-powerful Lord who loves us. How good it is to live in the light!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for rescuing me from the darkness of sin and unbelief. Bathe me in the light of your truth until I see you face to face. Amen.