Apples of Gold

As I was walking around our neighborhood this afternoon I observed the Abominable Snowman chasing the nightmarish Halloween decorations off a nearby lawn.  I stopped to snap a picture and smiled at the thought of the Christmas lights and decorations that were starting to replace their dreary predecessors. The bright lights and cheery decor help to make the inevitable darkness of this season bearable. I count the days until December 21 arrives, marking our oldest daughters birthday and the shortest day of the year. I know when I wake up the next morning that rather than subtracting a minute or so from our short supply of daylight we will be adding precious seconds and in my mind we are headed towards warmer weather, eventually.  

The physical darkness mirrors the spiritual darkness of the world around us. Job paints an accurate picture of the state of those who do not have a true relationship with God. 

They grope in the darkness without a light. Job 12:25

An unexpected loss of power on a dark and stormy night strikes momentary panic into the hearts of those captured by the thick and heavy stillness of complete darkness. It is difficult to accomplish anything in the dark. Even walking across your own living room can be hazardous to your health and especially your knees and toes! 

Even more welcome than the flickering lights indicating the restoration of electricity, Jesus speaks words of hope and comfort:

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. John 8:`12

The invitation to emerge from the shadows is open to all. Many of us have lived in the light for so long that perhaps we have forgotten just how dark life can be without the hope supplied by our God. We wonder why some choose to stumble around weighed down by sins and the cares of this life. It is of utmost importance that we never forget that our call is to look on the lost with compassion rather than judgment. 

In fact, we are called to penetrate the darkness by allowing the love of God to shine through us. 

You are the light of the world-like a city on an hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:14-16

As the darkness around us deepens, and the culture loses its footing, we might be tempted to run for the protection of the castle, pull up the drawbridge behind us and break out the hand sanitizer for good measure!

Many years ago John Bradford observed a group of prisoners being led to execution and exclaimed: “There but for the grace of God go I”.  

Embracing the transformed sinner is exciting and uplifting, extending a hand to them while they are down in the mud struggling and confused is a much less glamorous, but extremely necessary task. 

I am extraordinarily grateful and seriously humbled by the grace of God that placed me in a Christian home and an environment that pointed me towards embracing the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. I am extremely aware that not everyone is given this advantage. It is crucial that we are affected by the state of the lost. It must matter to us that they will end up in Hell if they do not reconcile with God. 

The way we interact with each other will either reveal the power of God at work in our lives or our self-interest.  

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other, Just as I have loved you, you should love each other, Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:34-35

The lost live in a perpetual season of darkness. It is as if the Christmas lights never emerge to replace the skeletons and witches. The dreary grip of fear and hopelessness can only be banished by the love and power of the one true God. You and I are his ambassadors, displaying the light of life with confidence and compassion. 

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17

May we be willing to set aside our personal desires for the sake of those in desperate need of the light of the world. Let’s hurl those baskets concealing our light aside and allow the glow of God’s power to puncture the darkness, revealing the path of salvation to those who cannot see.