“For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.” 2 Samuel 22:29
Years ago, I visited the infamous prison of Alcatraz. Located in the middle of San Francisco Bay, it was a favorite tourist stop for many. As I toured the facilities, I thought of how horrible it would be to be incarcerated here. The cells were cold and empty, a sharp contrast to the gaiety of life just across the water. When the tour guide brought us to the cells used for solitary confinement, she asked if anyone wanted to go inside one of the cells. Several of us enthusiastically volunteered, and she ushered us into one. She told us that she would close the door, and it would become very dark, but not to worry as she would reopen the door and release us after a few seconds. I was eager for her to close the door. However, when the heavy metal door clanged shut, I was immediately immersed into total darkness, and it was very unsettling for me. I thought that as my eyes adjusted, I would be able to see a little bit and view those in the cell with me, but it didn’t happen. I held my hand up before my eyes, but I couldn’t even see a remote outline of my fingers. A chilling twinge of panic began to creep up in me, and I stood frozen in the dark. We were all totally enveloped by blackness. No one said a word in the cell… I think we were all stunned at the depth of darkness that had descended upon us, and the fact that until the door was opened from the outside, we were all blinded by the lack of light and unable to escape.
True to her word, the tour guide did reopen the door despite my fearful thoughts of “What if she leaves us here?” After what seemed like forever (in reality just a few seconds), the tiniest sliver of light penetrated the black interior of the cell, and my rapidly blinking eyes could see again! Outlines of the people inside the cell with me took shape, and I could see my fingers wiggling. Light began to flood the room, and nervous laughter could be heard from us “volunteer prisoners” as we quickly exited the cell. It felt so liberating to be free and finally walking in the light!
This is just like sin.
Sin is enticing, drawing us near it out of our own curiosity. It whispers lies to us. “Everyone’s doing it!” “What harm is there in one little drink?” “I’ll show him who’s boss!” “I’m entitled to it, and I’m going to get it no matter what!” “It’s not really a baby yet.” This list of lies goes on and on, and then when we rationalize sin to fit the world’s morality and acceptability, we willingly partake of it, slowly sinking lower and lower into its darkness until we are totally immersed in its evil blackness. Satan has successfully blinded us to the reality of sin and its horrifying consequences on our physical and spiritual lives. Once entrapped by sin, it squeezes out everything else until the only things that we can “see” are hopelessness, despair, and defeat. We are plunged into the total blackness of the depravity of sin.
How do we escape?
We can open the door! The Bible tells us the Jesus is standing at the door of our hearts knocking, waiting for each of us to let Him in (Revelation 3:20). The moment that door begins to open, a beam of His glorious light will begin to illuminate everything around us. Jesus said in John 8:12, “…I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Until the light of the “the glorious gospel of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 4:4) penetrates our hearts, and we are illumined by the Holy Spirit, we cannot escape the darkness of sin. But once we accept Christ’s forgiveness of sin in our lives, there is nothing that can stop His light from shining on us and through us!
No more will the darkness of sin enslave us; no more will the blackness of guilt and despair consume us; no more are we blinded by Satan for “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). God’s Holy Spirit helps us recognize and flee sin before it can overcome us (1 Corinthians 10:13). Ephesians 5:8 states, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” It is our responsibility to share the light of the gospel of Christ so that others also may walk free in Him.
How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior,
Stepping in the light, Stepping in the light;
How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior,
Led in paths of light.
(from “Stepping in the Light” by E.E. Hewitt)
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
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The first step in the light is the step of salvation. If you want to know more about how you can be forgiven of your sins by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and walk in the light with Him, I’d be happy to share with you the way!