Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Lovers of the Darkness - September 15, 2010

Good Wednesday morning! I see a weather forecast for Friday to Sunday that goes like this: Fri - high 90°; Sat - high 66°; Sun - high 87°. Is that messed up or just the approach of autumn around these parts? Actually, the forecast for four or five days out is not all that reliable. The weekend prediction may change later today. Still, to have three days like that at this time of the year doesn't surprise me much. I guess it's time to have breakfast and get going, the carpenters next door are already banging away on their project for my neighbor.

All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. John 3:20

Now there in a simple statement is the only hard part about getting saved. We must repent of our sins and approach the light. Pride tells us a lie: You are basically good and can save yourself. Jesus tells us through His Word, the Bible, that all have sinned and must be saved by Him alone. I won't tell anyone that having your sin exposed before Jesus is easy, but that is what happens when we approach our Lord and repent. Here is the funny thing - we fear that exposure, but God already knows all of our sins! Once you come to believe in Jesus, you realize this and wonder: "Why did I fear the light?" For those who have yet to repent though, that step into the light is one of the most difficult decisions in their lives. But like the riddle that seems so obvious when you are told the answer, we wonder at our past selves in the light of Christ. Be patient with those struggling to step into the light; we may have forgotten just how difficult it was to take that step.

When we think of sinful activities even the physical darkness of no sunlight is something we think about. Adultery takes place in the dark corner of the mind and then in the dark hotel room. The drunken revelry is called the nightlife. Striptease joints have darkened lighting and open at night. Nude scenes and pornography is filmed on closed sets. Political underhanded dealing is described as under the table or back room politics. And of course when any of these are published by the media it's called exposed. Sin hates exposure to the light of Jesus and the light of day. The shady deal doesn't scare the crooked politician, but exposure to the public does.

Even in our new life in Christ we fear the exposure of those deep, dark corners where sin lurks in our hearts and minds. Open your heart to the Holy Spirit and let the light of Jesus come into every corner of your life.

Bucky

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