A Light In The Dark

I confess that I like to move around my house in the dark. Now, I know that may sound a little weird to some of you. Especially to my son and daughter because, they like to turn on the light in the hall just to get to their bedrooms. My son likes to say he isn’t afraid of the dark, just at what might be in the dark. It’s the darkness of the unknown.

As adults, we are anxious about the future we can’t see, not rooms we can’t see into. It’s the darkness of an illness that comes without warning; the darkness of a financial down fall that takes your life and turns it upside down. Those are the kinds of things that can make us run for the light. But, it needs to be Jesus the light of the world, not a light switch. He speaks to us about our fears in John 14:27

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

The question is do you really know the source of our light. Do you understand the peace that Jesus is offering us? It is fundamental and cannot be taken away from us by any of our circumstances. When Jesus says “my peace I give you, I do not give to you as the world gives…” It makes us wonder a few things.

First, we need think about how the world may give you peace. If you went to a friend who was not a Christian and asked her, what should I do to find peace? She might suggest a trip to a faraway place; somewhere you could relax. You could find a doctor that can give you medication, or take up mediation, then maybe you can be at peace.

Jesus says, I give you peace right in the midst of your trouble, right in the middle of distress and turmoil and heartache and pressure. He can bring peace to your heart right there. No medication, no trip, no impossible yoga poses. All the world can give you is a pat on the head and meaningless words of advice. So I am not trying to be flippant but I can’t give you any advice that can take away your worries either. Except to say that Jesus’ peace comes with a guarantee. Isaiah 41:10 tells us,

“Don't be afraid, because I'm with you; don't be anxious, because I am your God. I keep on strengthening you; I'm truly helping you. I'm surely upholding you with my victorious right hand."

He will be there in the midst of your troubles, giving you strength and helping you to be victorious. He will be with us to the end of our trouble. He will still the storm and quiet the waves. We can rest in the boat, content, knowing, no water can swallow the ship where lies the Master of ocean and earth and sky. My friends that is true peace.

We need not let our hearts be troubled, or anxious or worried, when we rest in the love of our Savior. There is no darkness that He can’t brighten, no comfort that He can’t bring when we learn to give our worries to Him. I know that this is easier said than done, particularly when we are in the middle of the dark room. I have the same trials and worries that you all go through, and I know that it’s hard to find the peace that Jesus promises us. But the truth is worrying never solved anything; but prayer does. Prayer lets us release our anxiety. Prayer opens the door so we can receive Jesus’ gift of peace. Isaiah 40:29 puts it this way,

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."

When we are weak He shares His strength with us. The strength that went with Him from the night alone in the dark garden all the way to the cross where He took our sins and made it possible for us to have ever lasting life. A life where the light will always shine and all the things that upset us in the dark of this world will be gone.

So whether our illness is cured and our finances are back in the black or our problems over take us, we can have a true and lasting peace. Knowing He is working out His purposes in our lives, no matter the outcome.