“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
Jared hurried into his bedroom to grab the football that was on his bed. He was in such a hurry that he did not even bother to turn on the light. His friend Thomas had just arrived, and they wanted to play football in the backyard for as long as possible before supper time.
Whoops! Before Jared knew what was happening, he found himself on the floor. It was dark – too dark to see where he was going! Just then, his dad came into the room and flipped on the light. Suddenly, Jared could see! There was his football on the bed, and on the floor beside him were the shoes he had tripped over.
“How did you expect to see without the light, Jared?”
Jared grinned, feeling a little silly. “I thought I didn’t need it, but I was wrong. Thanks for turning on the light, Dad!” Jared picked up the football and ran outside to play with Thomas in the sunshine.
Trying to do things in the dark can be dangerous. But some people do live in the dark – not in the physical kind, but in spiritual darkness. The Bible says, “He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth” (John 12:35). Many people try to live without God, trusting only in their own minds as they make decisions about their lives. This is walking in darkness.
It can be fun to do things your own way – at least for a little while. But continuing to walk “in the dark” leads to unpleasant surprises, like the surprise Jared got when he tripped over his shoes. Without the light, he stumbled and fell. Without spiritual “light,” we will stumble and fall spiritually, again and again.
When we fall into sin, the results are even more painful than falling on the floor. Our sins do not hurt just us! Our sins often affect other people, and they hurt Jesus’ testimony, too. But Christians do not have to walk in the dark. God is our spiritual light. The Bible says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27:1). Walking in the light protects us from falling.
Perhaps you are wondering, “But how do I walk in God’s light?” The Bible also says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). Here are some ways to walk in the light:
1. Read God’s Word every day.
2. Pray and ask Him for help.
3. Obey what God’s Word says.
When you are walking with God, you are never “in the dark.”
My Response:
» Am I content to stumble “in the dark”?
» What do I need to begin doing to “walk in God’s light”?