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The Lord is my Light
I think my allegiance to flashlights goes back to my childhood camping days. While I’m not sure the same was true of my mom-or any of my brothers and I-my dad sure did love camping. There are a few things he taught us to be sure of, and one of them was to always have a flashlight, complete with fresh batteries, within reach.
Depths of Darkness
If you’ve never been out in the middle of nowhere without light, you probably don’t know the layers and depths of darkness. Thankfully the stars and moon never left their post as the sun hid for the night, but otherwise there was no light to be had unless a lone passerby bobbled his handheld one to and fro as they walked the night’s path.
In the certain darkness we needed light to find our way. We could never be sure what lurked along our darkened path. If we wanted to venture out while the sun was below the horizon, we needed a light to guide us and keep us from falling prey to anything that could harm us.
Lights Out
When lights were out and Mom needed to find something one of us desperately needed, she reached for the nearest flashlight and slid that red button up. Whether it was a drink of water, a story to be read or the first aide box with butterfly bandages waiting to be used, she needed a light to help her find what she was looking for.
With a large family spanning the space of 20 years of children, someone was always a toddler, and like most toddlers, the darkness was frightful. Even bigger kids, like those with enormous imaginations (me!) needed light to escape the scary thoughts that grew quickly to monsters of the non-fiction type in our little heads.
Sometimes Light is Necessary
I know I am not the only one with the same last name who killed batteries leaving on the beam of light burning under my covers through long nights.
Sometimes, the light is necessary to bring us calm and peace.
Jehovah Ori
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is My Light
As an adult, I’m still in need of light in the darkness. Where my feet trod unaware of snares and enemies, I need light to protect me. When I know what I need but can’t find my way, I need a guiding light. When I’m afraid of things imagined or real, I need comforting light.
Sisters, in every way we can imagine needing light, we need Jehovah Ori, the Lord is my light.
Shaking in Fear
Maybe like me you’ve tried to find your own way stumbling as you go and even causing great pain in doing so. Have you ever been so determined in your own resolve that you continued to look through darkness for answers instead of first getting some light to show you the way?
And sadly, I don’t even need to ask, because I know I’ve had plenty of company in times I’ve literally sat in darkness while shaking in fear and allowing my mind to overcome my heart. It’s a scary and all encompassing place of darkness and despair.
He is Our Light
Those places we find ourselves don’t need to be lived in, or even visited, to be honest. For those who belong to the Lord, we know that he is our light, our Jehovah Ori. He is the same light in our lives as He was in David’s so long ago.
Fear Looms in Darkness
Fear looms in darkness, but there is no darkness in the Lord. We get a choice, then, where we will dwell.
For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God lights up my darkness.
Psalm 18:28
Before we knew the Lord, we were trapped in darkness. Our sin separated us from Jehovah Ori, we had no light. But when Jesus saved us, His light snuffed out the darkness of sin. As we follow Him, we are not in darkness at all but rather we are in His light:
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:12
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
John 12:46
Impenetrable Light
Unlike the darkness of my childhood campgrounds, of wide range power outages, and anywhere else you can imagine complete darkness, the Light of the Lord is impenetrable even by the most utter darkness. Every place we need light, as a Believer, there is the Lord of Light; Jehovah Ori.
And friends, the world needs this light, THE Light of Jehovah Ori. I encourage you to walk with the Lord, follow Jesus, keep your path in THE Light where no darkness can befall you.
If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
I John 1:6
Be In The Light
Be encouraged. Be strengthened in your weakness. Be courageous in your determination to obey God. Be steadfast in doing what pleases the Lord rather than what pleases man. Be in The Light.
Seek God’s truths and His righteousness in place of the deceitful promises and status quo of society of mighty and powerful–for God says, NOT by might, and NOT by power, but by every word that precedes out of the mouth of the Lord. (Zech 4:6)
Then, those around you will see your light, God’s light, and they will know the light of the world is Jesus.
