Which Light?

"Who among you fears the LORD

and obeys the word of his servant?

Let the one who walks in the dark,

who has no light,

trust in the name of the LORD

and rely on their God.

But now, all you who light fires

and provide yourselves with flaming torches,

go, walk in the light of your fires

and of the torches you have set ablaze.

This is what you shall receive from my hand:

You will lie down in torment."

Isaiah 50:10-11

It's dark.  When it's dark, I'm desperate for light, any light, even if it's only a flashlight or a candle.  My eyes crave the light.

Similarly, when the world is dark, cruel and morally bankrupt, I look for any sign of goodness, of understanding, civility, kindness.  My eyes long to see something decent, some insight and discernment to light my way.  If its not the true Light I seek, however, I'll be sorry.

The Way.  It's a pretty exclusive lifestyle.  In fact, few find the secluded little gate hidden among the vines that opens the way to life.  Nearby is a well-traveled, smooth road that gets much more attention, is highlighted on the evening news and acclaimed as the best route to take.  Many choose its even surface, enjoying the camaraderie and comfort that comes from being part of the crowd, wondering why there's reason to go anywhere else.  There are warning signs, people calling out to the travelers, "Change your course now, before it's too late.  Danger is coming!  Hellfire awaits!"  Yet I look around and no one seems worried, the birds are singing and my comrades continue plodding along so I push the nagging message out of my head.  Surely such a popular, nice path can't be all that bad, I reassure myself (Matthew 7:13-14).

Jesus said He is the only way to heaven, the only gateway to find eternal life, the sole source of truth, the lone route that leads to the everlasting destination that is free of pain and sorrow and lit by the glory of God (John 14:6, John 10:7, Revelation 21:4, 23).  Furthermore, if I want to find meaning and fulfillment in the here and now, I must fulfill my purpose to honor God in all I do as I live in relationship with Him, like a child to a Father (John 10:10, Isaiah 43:7).  And the only way to do so is by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. 

As I live in this dark world I must seek the true Light that is Jesus and follow Him alone.

Own Light.  Sometimes it's hard to follow Jesus.  I must give up my own destructive, harmful habits that are so familiar to me.  I must deny myself, seeking to live for God's purposes instead of my own (Matthew 16:24).  I must undergo lifelong transformation which is often a painful process as the cancer of sin is rooted out and replaced with that which reflects the true Light (Romans 12:2). 

Since this pilgrim life is so contrary to my own idea of what the rich, satisfying life should be, I am tempted to come up with my own philosophy of living, taking a bit of Biblical truth and sprinkling in pop-psychology and widely-held principles that sound good to my itching ears.  Then I hear a popular preacher spreading the same half-truths and I hungrily take it in, comforted by the thought that my ideas must be right (2 Timothy 4:3).  I feel relieved with this new god and religion that is more palatable and empowering to help me succeed in reaching my goals.  Gone are all those uncomfortable convictions that kept me up at night.  The problem is, I'm following the wrong light, even though it seems so good.

As I live in this dark world I must seek the true Light that is Jesus and follow Him alone.

Torment.  There is no way to get around it.  No matter who I claim to follow, the fruit I produce tells the real story.  I reap what I sow (Galatians 6:7-8).  If I live according to what makes me happy, brings me contentment at least for the moment, gives me satisfaction and pleasure, I'll produce fruit in line with my flesh.  Lust will rule my heart, hostility will often rear its ugly head, jealousy will frequently seep in and ambition that only furthers my own dreams and aspirations will drive my days.  Not only will my life be filled with anguish, but I will be shocked to learn I am left out of God's kingdom (Galatians 5:19-21).

If I instead set aside my own desires and am sensitive to God's indwelling Spirit, going where He leads me, saying the words He gives me, cooperating with Him as He changes my heart so that the things I want line up more closely with His desires, I'll produce godly fruit.  Apart from any effort of my own I'll discover His love welling up inside, a joy that cannot be quenched, faithfulness toward God and His purposes, gentleness in my dealings with others (Galatians 5:22-23).  Once I get out of the way, God produces in me that which honors Him and lasts forever, making an eternal impact on the world around me (John 15:5).  Not only will my life be filled with treasures untold, but I will be grateful to realize I have an eternity in His presence to which I can look forward!

As I live in this dark world I must seek the true Light that is Jesus and follow Him alone.

There are choices to make as I live in the darkness.  Since I crave light, I am tempted to create my own.  When I do, I miss out on the true Light of Jesus who serves as the only way to a rich, meaningful life that lasts forever and I set myself up for torment that extends into eternity.  When I wonder which light to follow, the choice that leads to life is the Light that is Jesus Christ.  May I dedicate my days to Him and Him alone!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can only have eyes for Jesus, the Light of the world.

When do I create my own light to follow, one that seems similar to the true Light?

How am I at risk of straying away from Jesus?  

Unstoppable

"Therefore, in the present case I advise you:

Leave these men alone!

Let them go!

For if their purpose or activity is of human origin,

it will fail.

But if it is from God,

you will not be able to stop these men;

you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

Acts 5:38-39

There is a nail-biting 2010 movie starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pines in which an unmanned half-mile-long freight train is barreling toward a metropolitan area.  A veteran engineer and his newbie conductor take on the task of finding a way to stop the inevitable catastrophe that's coming if the train continues on its present course.  In the end, the two men are successful in their endeavors and in so doing, form a strong bond and gain new respect for each other.

While this train was, contrary to the title, able to be brought to a standstill, God's plan is truly unstoppable.  Proverbs 21:30 reminds us that, "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD."

God's purpose is inevitable.  It is not limited by man's frailties, endeavors or lack of knowledge.  God's plan will go forth despite anything His created beings do or don't do.

Man's Weakness

He was insecure, hot-headed, spoiled and prideful.  It took forty years to humble him to the point that God could use him.  When he finally did receive his marching orders from God, he still couldn't get past his own doubts. (Exodus 3-12)  

Moses was a man plagued with flaws, just like any other human.  Despite his limitations, God used him to deliver His people from the hands of a ruthless Pharaoh and lead them through the desert for 40 years.  God is not limited by my inabilities, faithlessness or insecurities.  Instead, He is a good who overcomes my weaknesses.

When I can't picture myself telling anyone about Jesus, He will give me the words when I step forward in faith.  For the times when I know I need to make a change in my life, like improving my diet, adding exercise to my routine, studying God's Word or practicing hospitality, I can trust God to empower the transition even if I've never done anything like this before.  During times of depression, God can show me His power in inexplicable ways if I only stop focusing on myself and my problems and concentrate instead on the acts of His amazing hand.

As God told the Apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Paul then went on to say, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  (2 Corinthians 12:9)  I will never truly realize the power of God until I'm emptied of myself.  It is then that I'l experience His mighty hand in my life.

God's purpose is not limited by my weaknesses.

Man's Effort

He was the greatest enemy of those who called themselves followers of "The Way." (Acts 8:1-3, Acts 22:4)  He conducted house-by-house searches, dragging Believers out and throwing them into prison.  He relished destroying this church, believing himself to be working on the side of God.  He gave approval to any action, including death,  that involved silencing the Gospel.  He made it his life's ambition to stop this so-called cult, that is until Jesus confronted his behavior.  (Acts 9:4)

Saul put forth his best effort to stop the work of God.  Instead of bringing the new church to an end, however, God used Saul, who became known as Paul, as an instrument to nurture, challenge and instruct His people.  Saul's greatest attempts at thwarting God's plan did nothing against His mighty power.  Instead, God turned Saul around and used his zeal for the good of God's kingdom.

Many times I have a different plan than God does.  Other times my desires stand in opposition to God's.  I can even stubbornly refuse to submit to what I know to be God's plan out of fear, doubt or pride.  No matter what, God's plan will go forth.  No one can fight against God and win. (2 Chronicles 20:5-6)

God's purpose is not limited by any effort that is contrary to His plan.

Man's Ignorance

He had perhaps the most tragic story in all of history.  In a matter of days, he lost his family, his wealth, and his health.  He went from being the greatest man living in the East (Job 1:3), to one who cursed the day of his birth. (Job 3)  

Job suffered greatly at the hand of Satan at the suggestion of God (Job 1-2).  He didn't know why he had to hurt so much, but He did trust God through it all, saying, "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." (Job 1:21)  He also said to his wife, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"  (Job 2:10)

Job did not have the privilege of perfect knowledge and understanding.  He had no clue of the discussion that had taken place between God and Satan.  He didn't know the suffering he was enduring was a test from God and not just some giant cosmic joke.  What he did know is that God is a good God and He is sovereign over all His creation.  He trusted that God knew what he was doing.

My inability to see the truth or understand God's plan does not stop His purpose from going forth.  Just because I'm a little slow and don't get it right away doesn't mean I'm going to hold God back in some way.  Instead, God wins out despite my lack of knowledge and understanding.

In the end, Job did not turn away from God but stayed faithful to Him.  As a result, God blessed the latter years of his life even more than he did the former.  (Job 42:12-13)   In the same way I can trust God's plan no matter how things look at this time.  It may seem all is lost, but God is at the helm of the ship of my life.

Even though I'm struggling with a lack of money, God is still on the throne.  Despite the fact that I can't understand why my health is so poor, God is still on the throne.  Notwithstanding all the family problems I'm going through, God is still on the throne.

God's purpose is not limited by my inability to understand my circumstances.

God is unstoppable.  Whatever is His plan, it will go forth despite my weaknesses, effort contrary to His purpose, or my ignorance.  God's purpose will prevail.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God even when things seem to be falling apart.

How do I work against God?

When do I doubt God's ability to overcome my frailties?