light and dark and flipping the switch

Darkness. Complete and utter blindness. Panic.

I had a memory this morning as I was walking to work. I think it was my sophmore year of college, and I was taking philosophy. Not by choice, mind you; it was required*. It was an interesting class to say the least. It was taught by a graduate student, it was the first class he ever taught. It felt like he was given full reign. There wasn't much teaching of the great philosphers of the past; no sequential history - I'm still not sure what the point of the class was.

It always ended up being discussions about whether or not God exists; with three students taking the lead. One was an atheist, one was a self-professed warlock, and one was a guy who knew the Bible back and forth. Notice I didn't identify him as a Christian; he didn't claim to be one.

Anyway, it would be this rousing (not in a good way) discussion of God every class period. Every time I would try to interject, I would be shot right down. This was the first time in my life that I had heard people denouncing God. It was a very odd spot for me to be in; it just wasn't something I was ever prepared for.

It was something hard for me to grasp. I had never been around people who believed this way (or at least so loudly claimed to). I just couldn't begin to understand how someone couldn't believe in God. I had believed in Him my whole life (and I know that belief in God doesn't make you a Christian). I had never even questioned that He couldn't ... EXIST.

So I undertook an interesting project - disclaimer: I don't recommend this to ANYONE. I tried to feel what it would be like to not believe in God. I can't recall how exactly I did this, but I remember thinking "how would it feel to BE and not believe in God." I tried to imagine reaching out to God (as I was so incredibly comfortable doing), and Him not being there. Do you want to know the result? It was total and utter darkness. That is all I felt. Darkness.

I quickly scrambled my way back to Light, I remember praying "God, that was AWFUL. How can anyone live that way?"

Well, lo these many years later, I had a sort of epiphany. Millions and billions of people live that way every.single.day. People live their whole lives that way. And yes, I have always known that there are people who don't believe in God. I know that there are people that do believe in Him, but not His Son; not the Gospel, just that He simply exists (or just may exist). I have been taught this all before. But as I said; this morning, I saw these things in a different way.

Anyway, back to the darkness. I started thinking of specific people, and how they react to things (life can be a great teacher; mine and others). How their desperate scramblings only lead them to more darkness, more stumbling. How their utter blindness causes them to hit so many obstacles, and how they don't know any other way. It's like the light switch is right in front of them, but they have no way of knowing that it is there. There are others who do know where the switch is, but refuse to flip it - refuse the help - feel as though self-sufficiency is much better than total Lightness. These people just can't trust in a Savior...

Part of me wants to just shake them. "Just turn away from yourself! You have no idea what peace this will give you! Reach out and FLIP THE SWITCH! Total love and mercy awaits you! The Ultimate Gift from God - that is Grace - will Change You for the Better, Forever!" But I also know that it is God who gives this feeling to people. It is God who gives this intense desire to know Him. It is only God. No amount of shaking I could do would help.

So what can I do?

+I can pray for them.

+I can LOVE them.

+I can let my light shine (*sings* this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine *sings*).

+I can share the Gospel with them.

+I can look at them as totally lost, and undergoing a great battle. (be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle - Philo of Alexandria)

+I can be aware of the struggle they are going through; and not just dismiss it as mere folly. I just can't imagine it being intentional.

+I can stop seeing myself as helpless in this, and start knowing that I can make a difference.

+I can break out of my comfy bubble.

+I can pray for help - for God to lead me in this endeavor.

+I CAN do all of these listed above, but only through the Grace of God.

1 John 1 (NIV)

The Word of Life

1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

4We write this to make our joy complete.

Walking in the light

5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.

7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

II Samuel 22:28-30 (NIV)

28 You save the humble,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.

29 You are my lamp, O LORD;
the LORD turns my darkness into light.

30 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

Job 24:12-14 (NIV)

12 The groans of the dying rise from the city,
and the souls of the wounded cry out for help.
But God charges no one with wrongdoing.

13 "There are those who rebel against the light,
who do not know its ways
or stay in its paths.

14 When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up
and kills the poor and needy;
in the night he steals forth like a thief.

Psalm 119: 104-106 (NIV)

104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.

106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
that I will follow your righteous laws.

Ecclesiastes 2:12-14 (NIV)

Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
and also madness and folly.
What more can the king's successor do
than what has already been done?

13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
just as light is better than darkness.

14 The wise man has eyes in his head,
while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
that the same fate overtakes them both.

Matthew 5:14-17 (NIV)

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The Fulfillment of the Law

17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

*Oh yeah, I didn't stay in the class very long. I dropped it and took philosophy the next year, from the professor that everyone wanted to take it from. I learned a lot about philosphers of every age, how their teachings changed the ways of thought throughout history ... interesting things, and good to know.