The Light That Leads To Life
“But Lord, you remain the same forever! Your throne continues from generation to generation. Why do you continue to forget us? Why have you abandoned us for so long? Restore us, O Lord, and bring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had! Or have you utterly rejected us? Are you angry with us still?” Lamentations 5:19-22
There are times when life is just plain hard. Over the past couple of weeks, I have watched a story on a school shooting less than an hour away from me, my wife’s and my challenges with our daughter, and then this past weekend, the devastation of the tornadoes across the southern and midwestern United States. I have friends who are enduring family and friends with various health issues. In a time of holiday and Christmas spirit, there is a lot left to be desired in the Williams household. Yet, I am reminded of one of my favorite truths. Yes, there is a God, and I am not Him. So, when life has me down, I know that I cannot depend on myself. I must bend my knees and depend on the one who can make all things well. Even if I do not feel His presence, I am reminded He is still with me, and there is light even in the darkness.
It is important we remember in our darkest moments that it does not represent God deserting us. It is our remembering His presence despite our circumstances. Whenever I am dealing with grief, I love to read the book of Lamentations. Call it a reminder when your parents would say, “You think you have it bad?” At the end of the book, Jeremiah, who was writing about the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by Babylon, still prayed with honor to God, who ultimately decided their people had sinned and the destruction was His judgment. Think about it for a minute. Here Jeremiah was praying to God where he was living the story of Job on a much grander scale. The only difference was unlike Job, they deserved it all or as some of the kids would say, they got all the smoke they asked for and then some. Yet, he looked still to God for restoration and joy. Not blame or anger. What could we extrapolate out of this about our own times of despair and sadness? A couple of things. First, all because terrible things are happening around us does not represent God deserting us. The saying ‘God is good all of the time’ is not an idle statement to just say when you do not know what else to say. It is a mindset that there is something for us to seek God for discernment and understanding of our current situation. Second, we should not just stand idly in the darkness. Walk! We may not be sure where the path might be headed toward, but if we know God is somewhere, we won’t find Him just staying put where we are. Move in a direction you believe God would lead you and keep walk until the you start understanding something clearly at last.
Jesus provides light in all situations. God revealed the coming of Jesus as a reminder of how we can have the hope of Jeremiah even when things look bleak. It says:
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:4-5
Knowing this, darkness is never a permanent condition. It is only temporary, and if we know Jesus, we will always have light. Let us focus on Him for direction, comfort, healing, and restoration in our times of sadness and uncertainty. What has you down that you can look to God for today? How can the knowledge of who Jesus is keep you from falling into darker places? My prayer is we remember the words of Jesus in John 8:12 when He said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Amen.