Finding Your Way in the Dark

Who hasn’t ever been afraid of the dark?  The simple definition of dark is the absence of light.  There is an ominous unknown that goes along with darkness. Whether it is because it is night or perhaps the electricity is out or maybe we just can’t find the light switch.  Whatever the reason for the darkness we find ourselves wondering, what might be there?  What might be lurking in the shadows, under the bed, or behind the curtain? Maybe it’s more about not wanting to bump into the furniture or trip over something left haphazardly on the floor. 

When my grandchildren come to visit, I always make sure there is a nightlight somewhere close so that they feel more secure away from their familiar surroundings.  At Christmas our children could always expect a new flash light in their stocking or as a small gift.  Light is a necessary part of our existence physically, mentally and spiritually.  Without the light from the sun our food chain would cease to exist, plants would become obsolete leaving us deprived of air, temperatures would plummet and life would not be possible. Light is a good thing and a necessary thing.

Psalms 199:105(NKJV) says this about light

Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

If you’ve ever used a flashlight on a dark path in the night you will appreciate what I am about to share here.

 I grew up on 106-acre farm.  The nearest neighbor was at least a mile away. Living ten miles outside a small Texas town, away from civilization, the stars had no competition with city lights.  The night sky was stunning!  On one particular night my parents had to be out late so my sister-in-law, Michele came to stay with me.  As it grew darker, and later we were becoming aware of every sound, one particular was a low hum of an engine.  We could not see where it was coming from.  We lived a half mile from the dirt road and we were unable to see lights from a vehicle anywhere. But where was this sound coming from? We began to envision all kind of scenarios.  Shortly before midnight we worked up enough courage to open the door and listen.  We could hear it coming from behind my dads shop some 50 yards behind the house.  Not wanting to suffer any longer from the suspense we got a flash light.  I was already barefooted so I slipped on a pair of my dads’ shoes by the back door as we headed out to discover what was going on.  As we approached the shop the sound got louder, I was using the flashlight to observe each step as we went because I did not want to surprise a snake.  About half way there I dropped the light, Michele screamed and we lost all courage and ran back to the house.  I lost daddy’s shoes somewhere along the way.  A little later Michelle took the flash light and used it to shine a beam of light not on her steps but towards the shop as she stood parallel to it revealing that my dad had left the tractor running. We certainly had a story to tell dad when he got home. And he had a tractor to turn off.

God’s word is our lamp (flashlight) and it is used not only to direct each step but also to shine on the path ahead so we can have wisdom to know how to proceed.  If we do not have God’s Word in our hearts, we will be like those stumbling in darkness.  Fear and uncertainty will surround us.   Our life will be one wrong turn after another. We can not do life successfully without it.

Joshua 1: 8 says this: This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Meditating on God’s Word is part of God’s prescription for success.  Will we choose to allow him to light our darkness? 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father teach me the way of your statutes.  Forgive me for attempting to walk in my own way on my own terms.  I surrender the path before me to you today.  I commit to reading and meditating on your Word and I ask that by it you direct my paths. In Jesus name, amen.

Will You Be Served?

Sunday morning church may have been a part of your weekly walk for as long as you can remember.  Or you may have found your way there at some later time or maybe you have just recently begun.  When someone asks you why you attend what is your response?  One of the most quoted verses to answer this question is found in Hebrews 10:25 it says this:

 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

You can hear a since of urgency as the writer of Hebrews calls us out on the necessity of gathering together as we grow closer to the coming of the Lord (as you see the day approaching).  We clearly need the benefit of exhortation and encouragement that we receive from gathering together as a body of believers, or maybe I should say someone may need what we have, and they will miss it if we’re not there to give it. 

I believe scripture gives us further purpose for gathering as a body of believers

Psalm 100:4 says this: Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.

There is no misunderstanding here as we are instructed on how we should serve the Lord from the time we ENTER His gates.  We are to enter with thanksgiving and praise, we are to bless His name.

Psalm 100:2 says this: Serve the Lord with Gladness; come before His presence with Singing.

Our singing, here can be seen as an expression of our service with gladness.

Then Psalms 116:18: I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people, In the courts of the Lord’s house, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.  Praise the Lord!

Do we have it backwards? Do we often enter the house of the Lord on a one-way street? Being served by the Lord but not serving Him?

When I was a child some of my earliest lessons were about giving. And let’s face it, serving is giving. On one occasion my dad asked me for a bite of my candy.  My response was to shove it in my mouth as fast as I could so that he could not have any.  I got a verbal lesson that day on selfishness and my desire to take instead of being willing to give.  Another time we went out to eat with church folk after church.  Pizza after Sunday night church was a thing.  As I sat there at the table, the only child, bored out of my mind with all the adults I saw there was only one piece of pizza left.  I had a nice size slice in my hand, but not wanting to miss that last piece I quickly grabbed for it. Now I had two, one in each hand and I had taken the last one. I have to say my parents waited until we were in the car but they let me know how rude it was to only think of myself and not to offer it to anyone else at the table.  Let’s face it, we are born selfish individuals with a need to satisfy ourselves.  It takes maturity and growth and maybe a few hard lessons along the way to learn to be givers, to be willing to serve.

 So, what does this have to do with Church?  Part of the motivation of church attendance should be our desire to serve our Heavenly Father in corporate worship. To “give” him thanksgiving, to laud Him with praises. To recount to Him all of His goodness towards us with joyful expression.  The Psalms are full of examples of what serving the Lord in worship looks like. Whether it is in the singing of Hymns or with the sound of instruments, joyful celebration or shouts of praise, with lifted hands or bowing knees.  The Lord is pleased with our full expression of worship. 

We should have great expectation when we attend the house of the Lord with other believers because we have the promise that he inhabits the praises of His people and willingly meets us at the point of our need.  So, what can He expect from us?  Let’s rethink our part in the worship service. I don’t want to just be a taker but a giver. Will we walk in waiting to be served by Him? Or will we Enter with Thanksgiving in our hearts and Praise on our lips, giving to God the glory due His name?

PRAYER:  Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Lord I desire to worship you with all of who I am.   You alone are great and greatly to be praised.  Forgive me for any tendencies I have to make it about anything other than you.  Forgive me for withholding my praises and heartfelt worship. In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.