Where are you When the Lights go Out?

John 8:12

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

1 John 1:6-7
If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

As I chatted with my co-worker in her office, the lights flickered out. Electric all over campus shut off. As soon as we realized what happened, we walked to the main room of the library. No storm brewed outside, instead sunlight flooded the sky lights. Two florescent lights stayed on due to a generator. Students wondered what to do. We directed a few to hang in there until we figured out what was going on. Then, one young man stepped in and went straight to the only table with a light. He unpacked his backpack, sat down with his textbook and started to read. He knew what to do—follow the light.

Every day darkness overwhelms us. If you watch the news, you see people who hate and kill. We read about people who bring harm to others or themselves. Illness and circumstances bring grief. The constant focus on politics and who has said what is just plain irritating. If we'd let ourselves, we could sit in the dark of sin every day. But we don't have to. There is a light that shines to bring hope and love to this world. Jesus is the light. He shines brighter than any darkness Satan can throw over us. Like the young man in our library, let's walk toward the light and focus on our Lord and Savior—Jesus. He is the light that shines in the darkest hour. He is our hope!

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”  ― Martin Luther King Jr.