I have a friend who served as a missionary in the mountainous areas of Mexico for many years. We were talking one day, and I asked how he was able to walk the narrow, jagged cliffs into the villages, minister all day and walk home at night. The “at night” part especially interested me because there are no streetlights, nearby houses or artificial illumination to keep one from falling headlong into the darkness. He simply said, “I have a flashlight and I point it at my feet, and I take one step at a time being sure to walk in the light.” A flood of scriptures came to mind as he shared this simple yet profound answer.
“For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.” Psalms 18:28 (NKJV)
“Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.” Psalms 112:4 (NKJV)
“Then if I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day, darkness and the light are both alike to You.” Psalms 139:11-12 (NKJV)
“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.” Micah 7:8 (NKJV)
“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” Matthew 4:16 (NKJV)
“Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78-79 (NKJV)
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” John 8:12 (NKJV)
The Lord tells us to walk with him in the light of his word and his plans for us, and the darkness will be dispelled. In this fallen world there will always be darkness, sin and deprivation. We walk safely when the “Light of the world”, Jesus, walks with us. We should not fear the darkness because we have access to the Light that never fades or runs out of power.
You cannot always memorize the path. You can not always prepare for the unexpected turns in the road of life. You cannot always see far enough in the distance to make wise decisions. You can, however, always have the “light of life” walking with you!
One of my favorite songs of my childhood is from the movie and Broadway play, Carousel. It was recently released on Josh Groban’s album, Stages. “You’ll never walk alone,” is a classic song of comfort and hope. The following lyrics speak of walking in the darkness.
When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your hearts
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your hearts
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone
Recently I was walking through the frozen food section of the grocery store. I notice as I took a step the light inside the freezer came on as I approached. If I stood still the glass enclosed freezer remained dark. But with every step of faith I took the light would arrive in time to show me the way. Such is the work of the Holy Spirit to illuminate, comfort, teach and testify of Jesus’ presence in our daily walk.
My grocery store experience was a simple reminder of God’s desire to give abundantly the light we need to make wise choices. Although the store was well-lite, the freezer light coming on as I approached made it very easy to read the labels and make the right choice. God is generous and merciful. He wants to give light, safety, guidance and hope to his people. From the very beginning of time, he has carved a separation between light and darkness. In Genesis 1:4, (NKJV) we find “And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.” If you will allow him, he will begin to carve away the darkness in your life and show you a clear path. His great love for you will prepare the way for every moment of your life!