Traveling in the dark

     Last night was visitation night for our fellowship.  For those of you that do not know what I am talking about when I mention visitation, let me tell you.  Visitation is where the church makes an intentional effort to visit people in the community.  Some of them have visited the church and others have not, but nevertheless we go out two by two into the harvest field.

     I had an unusual time as I went out last night.  I was by myself last night as when we divided up into the groups we had an odd number so I thought it would be best for me to go out by myself.  Our intent last night was to start visiting the 1000 families that have moved into our area in the last month.  You might remember I wrote about them in my last post.  Anyway, I proceeded to make my way to the homes and realized that it was extremely dark and would be difficult to find the homes.  I was right.  The first home I never did find an address.  I know the house is there, but the lighting was poor and the addresses were no where to be found.  I decided to move on to the next house and look for it.  At first I could not find the street, and then I finally found the street.  It was  not a well lit street so it made it difficult to locate the house as well.  When I finally found the proper address, it was the last house on the street, the long drive way was dark and there were no lights on in the house.  I decided that it was probably not best to make the visit that evening.  Of course now that I have surveyed the area it will be much easier to visit them the next time. 

     There were a couple of things that made the visits extremely difficult.  First, I am still trying to learn the lay of the land, but the main reason was that it was dark.  These homes were not in well lit neighborhoods, but more like country roads that were not lit with street lights.  It is hard to get around in the dark.  It is hard to discern where you need to go.  I think there is a spiritual parallel as well.

     The Bible states that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.  As children of the light we are to be spend our time in his light.  In fact Peter states that God has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.  It is so much better to move around in the light.  However for the most part people still choose to walk in the dark.  Jesus spoke about this very issue in John 3 when he stated "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."

      My attempt as visting people in the dark brings this truth to reality.  In the darkness I cannot see where I am going.  It is the same way in the spiritual realm.  When I choose to live in the darkness I do not know where I am going.  I cannot see what is in front of me so I stumble and fall.  I make mistakes and mess things up, because I am not able to discern what lies ahead.  I need a light to help me in my journey.  God's Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.  Ultimately Jesus is the light of the world that gives light in the darkness.

      Are you tired of stumbling in the darkness?  Are you tired of trying to navigate the road of life without a light?  Then perhaps it is time to turn to the light and allow Him to light your path. 

     I want give up on visiting people in the night, but the next time I will take a light with me are I will go earlier so that I can find my way.  That sounds like a pretty good suggestion for all of us as well.  We do not have to try to walk the road of life without a light.  Jesus has shown us the way.  All we have to do is walk in His light.