Let There Be Light!

I like light. I don't maneuver well in darkness and tend to run into things. Life is just easier when you can see clearly. That said, there have been times when darkness has been a blessing...  Like when the neighbors pop in unexpectedly. I know what my floors look like in the light of day. It's been a busy couple of weeks... don't judge me! But with only the light of the Christmas tree and a few candles, I can confidently invite them in for hot cider and feel pretty good in my dimly lit, festive home...as long as they don't have to use the bathroom and turn on the light in there!  The point I am making is that darkness seems to be a blessing when we are trying to hide something. In that situation, light becomes the enemy.

If I were content to live in the light of the candles and tree lights, my floors would likely remain untouched longer. My bathtub would look pretty good if I never turned on the light. Even the left over mascara from yesterday doesn't  look bad smudged under my eyes when I don't turn the light on in the morning. Light tends to show us things that we don't really like to see, at times. It uncovers the flaws we mask. But without it, we slip into a state of neglect that is not healthy. Living in darkness helps us pretend we are okay when we really are a hot mess.

Perhaps it is a good idea to shine a spotlight into our lives, from time to time to see what we have either intentionally or subconsciously left untended. Parenting is a responsibility that keeps us running. Keeping up with the schedules that our children have can leave us exhausted and allow little time for the things to which we were once completely committed. Often times it is the busyness of life that becomes our "darkness."

 Do you remember when you decided to follow Jesus and were convinced that you were going to read your Bible daily? Do you recall those who you promised to pray for daily? Can you feel that inner pull to spend time daily with Jesus that you vowed was a lifetime commitment? How about mealtime with the family around the table? Or church every Sunday morning? Some invisible creature seems to have crept into our "darkness" and stolen our resolve to be the people of God.

For others of us, broken relationships and hurts have left us in "darkness" and rather than seeking the light that would expose our needs, our failures and our brokenness, we are content to stay in the darkness. Shining a light into our hearts would be painful, because in the darkness, we can assign blame to the ones who have hurt us rather than see our part in the hurt. It is easier to leave the lights off and live in darkness than it is to allow the light of God to expose the areas where we could begin to be transformed.

Jesus came to be the light. Jesus is light... not so he can humiliate or shame us, but so that He can bring healing. As Christmas approaches, allow His light to illuminate your soul and reveal the broken places where He wants to restore you. He is a good and faithful Father. Trust the Light.