There are moments when a seemingly obscure passage in scripture just leaps from the page and spears your heart.
This happened as I worked through John chapter 11. It is the story of Lazarus. A beloved friend of Jesus who died and was resurrected to life in order to bring glory to God.
If you know scripture, then I would imagine you have studied this passage and all that it conveys and foreshadows…with Jesus’ death and resurrection.
This time, verses 9 and 10 leaped out at me. They stared boldly into my face and issued a challenge.
Let me share:
“Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
These twelve hours can symbolize an entire life. Devoted to God and walking in his will, filled with light and not darkness. When we seek him in all we do and in all we purpose to do, we are able to see clearly where he would have us go.
Now, that doesn’t mean life is easy. Climbing a challenging hill, even in the middle of the day, is still challenging. However, climbing a challenging hill in the darkness of night, in the black that would have you stumble and grope for each step, is SO much harder.
When we allow God to guide us, lead us, and direct our every step, we walk in light. Pure, illuminating, stumble-free light.
So, what about dusk? Or dawn? Or the twilight of evening..where light fades and darkness arises, or darkness fades and the sun emerges? How many of us are living in these half-lit areas?
We like the darkness of our sin. We like to have control over our lives and choose our own steps. We dabble in the dark. Yet, we still claim the light. It’s right there. It’s low…and dim…and not quite filling the sky…but it is there.
We embrace the selfish sinfulness of our hearts, but we attend church. We covet what others have, but we tithe generously. We have materialistic hearts, but we serve in ministry. We skirt the edges of the sun while dipping our toes in darkness. It is hard to let go.
There is beauty in darkness. The stars in the sky. The lights of the universe on display. The moon in all its phases. There is beauty in darkness. And trickery. Our eyes adjust to the lack of light and we think we can see. We determine that the darkness isn’t so bad and that we can manage. This is how we justify our sin. We adjust to its normalcy and move forward. Sure we stumble, but if we don’t get hurt, then it is not that bad…right??
We stumble occasionally and blame the darkness. We have sure footing other times and credit the light. We allow ourselves the stagnancy of living in the dusk. Always balancing a bit of the dark with the light.
God wishes for us so much more! For those who have completely abandoned the light it is sometimes the painful fall over a cliff, and for others it is just enough to send a beautifully brilliant sunset to lure you back toward light.
If you allow him…he can draw you through the darkness and bring you to the dawn of a new life, where only light, and sun, and warmth prevail. Where the road is not always sure-footed…but at least you can see.
My prayer today is for God to reveal the dusk in my heart. The dusk in my life. And bring me back into the brilliancy of day.
– Carrie
Carrie McChesney is a jill-of-all-trades who speaks, writes, photographs, and studies scripture all while raising two wild little men and remodeling their mountain home.
