There is such a stark difference between stumbling around in the dark and turning on a light.  Many a toe has been stubbed and ankle twisted — perhaps even a fall because we chose to walk around in the dark of our homes rather than turning on the light.  Now, multiply and magnify the failures we experience on our life’s journey when we go places and we can’t see the way or go places where we don’t know the war (darkness of the mind) or simply stumble through life in the dark because we choose (or chose) to follow those who were already walking in the dark.  And yet when we encountered Jesus, truths about our trek through the darkness were suddenly illumined.  Suddenly — not all at once, but quickly enough — the way became much brighter, the pathway much clearer, we could see our missteps, wrong turns, and the traps that were laid by the enemy to trip us up.  Because of Jesus, the truth and light he brings into our lives enables us to walk through life.  And yes, we still may be sheep who sometimes go astray, finding our way back to the darkness, but it is the light and truth of Christ who helps us find our way back to the path Christ would have us travel.  Praise God for our willingness to face our truth and the triumph we experience because of Jesus Christ.

• Have there been times in your life when you recognized the difference between your life before Christ and your life after committing to Christ?
• What would you say was the pivotal point of God’s truth becoming victorious in your life?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Gracious Christ, thank you for being the light that allowed me to see more clearly that I should follow You. Your light has led me out of the darkness

         We all have a past that trails us, things in our closet that we don’t want others to see, and mistakes in life we’ve made that we don’t want others to know about.  And it’s difficult for us to face the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about who we were before Christ.  As one United Methodist Confessional reads, “We’re afraid to admit — even to ourselves — what lies in the depths of our souls,”  And what may be even more frightening is when we realize that there are already some people that know our history and are all too willing to share it with others.  That’s our dark side.

         On the other hand, our relationship with Christ has changed us in ways that — to some who knew us before — seem unbelievable.  And in many ways, they believe it was us who made the change when in reality, it was all Christ.  We were unworthy of God’s love and God knew it.  But it was by God’s mercy that God looked beyond our faults and saw our needs.  And that’s the truth of the matter.  Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, and we were only recipients of that gift.  As Scripture so beautifully reminds us, “17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1 17).  And so, we now live on the light side — the side of truth — triumphant over death, and by the grace of God in Jesus Christ who gifts this mercy to us.  And once again, truth prevails triumphant over the darkness of our lives.

• What foolish or disobedient things from your past are you most grateful that Christ saved you from?
• How has facing the truth about your past made that truth triumphant in your life?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Merciful God, thank you for looking beyond my faults and offering Your mercy which saved me by Your grace. Help me to always live with the truth of Christ that triumphed over my reckless ways.

         I can remember as a child being fascinated with “lightning bugs.”  We would wait until nightfall when they were gliding through the air and catch them, putting them in an old glass jelly or mayonnaise jar with holes punched in the top for air.  And we’d sit watching them light up and then go dim only to light up again.  As I grew older, I later became fascinated with fluorescence.  During the sixties there were fluorescent paints, lights, and other things designed to capture the surrounding ambient light to give brighter light to whatever they were painted on.

         It’s amazing what the presence of light can do.  In a dark room, light makes things visible.  A flashlight — a simple invention — helped me and other workshop attendees move through the dark of a stormy night to get from one building to another at a retreat center.  And for all that light offers to aid us in our times of darkness, we’re informed that as believers in Christ, we have become light, but for a much higher purpose.  Our existence as light is to allow those living in the darkness of their lives to see the light that we, as believers in Christ and children of God bring to the world in which we live.  It’s our relationship with God through Jesus Christ — the light of the world — that has led us out of the darkness of our previous lives making us a light in the world around us.  And our light — as with any form of light — has the two-fold function of providing light for those to find their way, while at the same time exposing those things that exist in the darkness — evil things, despicable things, undesirable things as well as honorable things done secretly and quietly without fanfare.  To that end, light is an something that allows truth to triumph over those things that occur in darkness.  And it is truth that sets us free to shine brightly in a world darkened by fear and lies which keep people in the dark.

• When have you experienced truth as light revealing something unappealing to you?
• When have you experienced truth becoming triumphant over lies that distorted, and hid the real truth?
• How does being truthful give light to those around you?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Loving Christ, empower me to live a life of truth where Your light and truth radiate from me. Allow others to see Your light shining from within me so that they might be drawn to Your radiant glory.