In the Light

This morning at Bible study our teacher said, “God is the source of light.  When you turn away from God, you are turning toward darkness.”

I couldn’t stop thinking about this all day.  In a room that’s dark, we always look for the light and walk toward it.  Without it we’re completely lost.

We always talk about keeping our eyes on Jesus, right?  I had never really thought of the alternative.  When we remove our eyes from Jesus – even the slightest bit – not only are we turning AWAY from Him, but we are turning TOWARD darkness.  This is deliberate.  We knowingly turn away and face the darkness.

We’re not just away from Him.

We’re turning toward darkness.

I can’t wrap my head around it – we’re turning toward darkness.  I keep saying it to myself, as if hearing it 100 times in my head will somehow make it less so.  We are turning toward darkness.

Why?  Why would we do this?  Is it because His light makes our sin so evident?  Because His light spotlights the filth in our hearts?  Because His light pierces us in a way that only His truth can?  Honestly, I want to turn away sometimes because my sin makes me want to run and hide just like Adam and Eve did when God called out to them.

I deserve to be in the darkness.  My own sin puts me there.  I deserve to stumble and stub my toe and bump into things and be disoriented.  But God’s love is too merciful.  Jesus’s sacrifice is too great.

And so I’ll run toward the light – praying, repenting, confessing, glorifying, worshiping – and bask in the forgiveness and joy that wait for me there.

OK, I’m getting off my shoebox now.