Recent destructive tornadoes in our country have caused me to think about how dangerous such storms are when they come in the dark of night. You can’t look outside and see them coming!
When I was a kid, radar technology wasn’t anywhere near the quality we have today. White blobs on a black background may have told you rainclouds were present, but you didn’t know if there were dangerous storms in those blobs. Today, of course, we have Doppler radar which makes it much easier to see rotating storms, but there is still danger in the night when people are asleep or otherwise not paying attention.
Spiritually, there is great danger in the darkness, as well. In the obscurity of shadows, we might fall victim to many things:
Unseen Obstacles. “The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble” (Prov. 4:19). To keep us from tripping, we need a light! The word of God is the floodlight to keep us safe (Psalm 119:105).
Predators. Vicious hunters roam about at night to give themselves an advantage over their prey. Satan is a predator (1 Peter 5:8), and he wants to keep you in the dark. We need a light to see predators for what they really are (John 3:20).
Sin. How many evil deeds take place at night? Adulterers, thieves, and murders do their work in cover of darkness (Job 24:13-17), as do drunkards (1 Thess. 5:7). We need a light to expose darkness and keep us from sin (Eph. 5:8-12).
Doubt and Confusion. The Philippian jailor made a snap judgment based on incomplete information, almost committing suicide because he feared he had lost all his prisoners (Acts 16:25-34). Having already drawn his sword to end his own life, he stopped when Paul told him that everyone was still there. It was only after this that the jailor “called for a light” (Acts 16:29) to see for himself the true state of affairs. We need a light to get rid of doubt and confusion!
We need a light, and that light is Jesus the Christ. “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life’” (John 8:12). Are you walking in the light of the Lord?
Matt Clifton
