Total Darkness

Total Darkness

Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1-30

The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface. Then God Said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” (Gen. 1:1-4 NLT

 Have you ever experienced total darkness? Of all the people that Jesus healed while here on earth, I would think that giving sight to the blind would rank high on his list of achievements. Can you imagine what it would be like to lose you sight after being able to see?

     One time my wife and I took a tour through Marvel Cave at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. The guide took us five hundred feet down into the earth and at one point in our walk he turned out all the lights. Total darkness! Not one shred of light, not even a glowworm. We could not even see our hands in front of our faces. We felt closed in and helpless. A scary feeling crept into my stomach, and I was so relieved when the lights were turned on again.

     That’s what millions of lost souls will encounter when they face an eternity in hell without Christ. Peter in his second epistle reveals the destiny of false teachers when he states, “They are doomed to blackest darkness” (2 Pet. 2:17 NLT). Jude reminds us that the evil angels who “did not stay within the limits of their authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged are chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the day of judgment” (Jude 6 NLT).

     The Bible states that complete darkness covered the earth from noon to three o’clock as Jesus hung dying on the cross. Satan rejoiced thinking he had won a great victory only to find instead his destiny sealed and Jesus alive on the third day—just as he said.

     During a visit to the war museum in London, England my wife and I entered a room where all the lights were turned off. We sat in total darkness and experienced the falling of bombs and scream of sirens simulating the blitzkrieg of London in World War 2. What a horrifying experience that must have been for the people of England! We could see fires burning and buildings destroyed. It seemed so real that we could almost feel the anxiety and fear of the people.

     Jesus came to bring light and life to a dark and decadent world. He said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. (Jn 8:12 NLT).

     My dear friend, if you have received Jesus as personal Savior, you can rejoice in the gift of eternal life. If not, then darkness awaits you. Jesus said, “All who come to me, I will in no wise cast aside” (Jn 6:37 NLT). Won’t you consider inviting Jesus into your heart and life today?

Prayer: Dear Lord, may I allow the light of Christ living in me shine so all the world can see.