Don’t love the darkness more.

That really ‘is a thing’ for countless numbers of people, according to what Jesus told us in John 3:19. Apparently there is a choice involved here...and we can choose to come to the light; or we can choose to stay or remain in the darkness. He almost made it sound like an indictment of sorts when He proclaimed: “And this is the condemnation, (or verdict)...light has come into the world, ...and men loved darkness rather than...light.”

He even told us why that was...”Because their deeds were evil.”

In that very next verse Jesus takes it a step further when He goes on to say that not only do those people ‘love the darkness’, but they actually ‘hate the light and...will not come...to the light.” (20). Would you care to guess why? They continue to ‘practice evil’ and simply don’t want that ‘evil exposed’. They actually prefer to remain in darkness; and I hope you know by now we are talking about ‘spiritual darkness’.

There is so much woven through the text of the Bible about this spiritual darkness and makes for such an insightful study. That is, if you are one who not only loves the truth, but you pursue it. And there is a difference between the two kinds of people. Lots of people ‘say’ the love the light and that they themselves hunger for truth; but when you try to share that truth (the word of God), they blink, or deflect or flat out turn and want nothing more to do with that ‘light’. That is pretty much what Jesus was telling us there in that passage from John 3.

He came as a light into a dark world to bring light and truth and the majority of the people just flat out wanted nothing to do with it. Or at best, they don’t mind a ‘little light’ when it is convenient for them. I only use the word ‘majority’ because that is how Jesus described the ‘numbers’ of those who would truly want to walk in that narrow path of light and truth. (Matt. 7:14)

That kind of talk can get under our skin as well. It use to for me, I know. I’d roll my eyes anytime I’d hear people make reference to ‘only a few’ will be ‘saved’. They always sounded so exclusive and haughty as if they were in an elite group of privileged souls. No doubt there are those out there who probably do feel that way and are in just as much darkness as everyone else. But we’re not talking about those blind guides either. Their ‘fruit’ was their give away.

But back to this idea of ‘spiritual darkness’. That was our condition we all found ourselves in...before we ‘came to the light’ or ‘saw the light’ as we like to sing. We were in the very darkness that prompted the arrival of the Christ child whom we all celebrated the past few days as another Christmas day...came...and went. ( I bet many of you are about ready to get back on a schedule and get that eating under control as well! *smile* )

Matt. 4:16 and Luke 1:79 are somewhat familiar passages as they describe the spiritual condition humanity found themselves in as they all ‘sat in darkness’ and ‘light dawned’ to come and’ lead our feet into the way of peace’.

Jesus made this profound statement when He said “he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.” (John 12:35)

Which is why He came to call us out of it. (1 Pet. 2:9)

Would you consider that more a moment...the fact that He ‘calls us out’ of it; as opposed to coming in and pulling us out against our will.

The plan was for us to have our ‘eyes opened...in order for us to turn from darkness and to the light’. (Acts 26:18)

And it isn’t just ‘darkness’ we can actually turn from. What we fail to see...in that darkness, is it is the power of Satan that we can turn from and actually be free of. That is, if you believe what you read in your Bible. Go read that verse again in Acts 26:18. That would be the same ‘devil’ or ‘wicked one’ whom John refers to that has the whole world under his influence or control. (1 John 5:19). He does it with deception and lies (Revelation 12:9) and he, (the devil) does it by ‘blinding our minds from seeing the light of the gospel’. (2 Cor. 4:3-4) Go ahead and read down and underline vs 6 while you are there as well. ;-)

That is why you find it such a struggle to ‘carve out time’ to truly dig into God’s word and search out truth...and light. You are contending with a spiritual foe who will do all within his power to divert your attention and your affections so long as you don’t develop a hunger for truth. He knows that the ‘truth will set you free’ from his grasp. (John 8:32,36). Why he doesn’t mind at all if you read a book case full of commentaries and devotionals and ‘Christian Fiction- ‘novel’s’ that give you a sense of false security that you are ‘feeding your soul’. He doesn’t even care that much if you do your ‘three chapters a day’ as long as you don’t really give it too much thought.

How many times have you finished up your ‘daily Bible reading’ but could not wait to turn on that talk radio when you got in your car or listen to some podcast delving off into ‘true crime stories of passion’ or feeding on all the political banter that is offered up like a Las Vegas buffet line. It’s like kids who will scarf down those vegetables at the dinner table that they have little appetite for but do so in order to get to ‘dessert’ where their true longing is. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been there myself in that very place. Do you think God knew what He was talking about when He said men’s hearts were ‘deceptive’? (Jer. 17:9)

Another Christmas has come and gone. We were so fortunate to spend a delightful day with our grandsons (and their parents of course ;-). As I helped load them up into the car last night after a delightful dinner and time of opening gifts, I made my way back into our ‘new’ house here and looked up at the Christmas lights hanging on the house that my wife ‘inspired’ me to hang this year. My first thought was ‘when can I take those down and get the house back in order?’ It’s a ‘husband/guy thing’ you know.

But that ‘other light’ that the Holy Spirit is still to this day, trying to send us so as to illuminate and guide our feet in the ‘way of peace’...I so want that light to shine even brighter and never be darkened again. And He has been so faithful to ‘keep’em burning’.

That is what this ‘abiding thing’ is all about. It’s ‘walking in the light as He is in the light’. (1 John 1:7). That is not just a ‘Christmas thing’ or ‘weekly thing’ or something we do when it is ‘convenient’ that makes us feel good. I have found the more of this light I walk in, the more I want. That is a ‘Jesus thing’ for sure. You WANT Him to reveal more to you so you can walk in even more light. IT’s that ‘want to thing’ that reveals what is really going on in our hearts. And being ‘religious’ is no substitute as you can see how Jesus made that clear in John 8:44. You can be religious and go through a lot of motion and form, but still ‘want’ to do that which is evil, in the eyes of God. Those are the ones who love the darkness more. That’s not a good place to be, at all; especially in the times we are living

Don’t love the darkness. more.

Pursue the light...as if your life depended on it.

Because friends... It does.