darkness

Back when electricity was first being introduced to a little Scottish village, almost everybody in a particular church switched from the propane lanterns to electricity just as soon as it could be hooked up. 

However, the oldest couple in the congregation couldn't get their electricity because they were waiting for the poles to go up and the wire to be strung. So they continued to use their propane lanterns.

The day finally came when the electricity was brought into their home. Everyone came for the festive event. The old man waited for it to get extra dark; then he told his wife to go turn on the switch. 

When she did, the light filled the room, and everyone rejoiced. The old man grinned from ear to ear, picked up a propane lamp and said, "It sure makes lighting my lamps easier." And with that he lit a lamp, and his wife turned off the electricity. 

Sometimes we're just like that. We can't see the light for our need to hang on to the darkness of our past. We have eyes that grope in a fog that never lifts. 

However, Jesus Christ comes to us at the darkest parts of our lives, wanting to chase away our darkness with His light. John tells us that "In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness..." (John 1:4:5a). 

Unfortunately, too many people today choose to hold on to the their darkness, rather than be illuminated by the love of Christ.