The True Light Shines in the Darkness
The days are getting shorter and the nights longer as we move towards winter. I really don’t like winter. Too much darkness and too much cold. With the time change two weeks ago it is now dark when I go home from work. Even now at 4:00 in the afternoon, with the clouds and rain, it is looks dark and ominous outside.
Sometimes the darkness gets to me, but then I am reminded that no matter how dark it gets, there is a light to show me the way. Speaking of Jesus as well as His witness John the Baptist, the apostle John wrote:
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. John 1:4-9.
Jesus is light for all to see. But just as a flashlight that is not turned on or a lamp that is hidden in a closet does not help one see, if Jesus is not believed and trusted He cannot help one see. The darkness of men and women has not, and will never, overcome the light of Christ in the hearts of believers. But today darkness still remains because some people refuse to accept the light God has provided. After saying that He had come to save the world because of God’s love for mankind, Jesus said:
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people 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 their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:19-21.
In the book I am reading, Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand, the darkness and evil of men who have been deceived by communism and atheism is evident. The communists in Romania, Russia, China, and other countries have tried not only to avoid the light of Christ, but to crush and destroy it. They have not succeeded. They clung to the atheistic belief that there is no God, and they imprisoned, beat, and tortured those who believed God exists and that He loves us, those who live in the light. And still the light was not extinguished.
Wurmbrand writes that the communists were content to allow the old people to cling to their belief in God, but that they violently opposed teaching the Christian faith to children and teenagers. In school, children were taught the communist party line that atheism is the truth. If the Christians tried to teach them otherwise, they were punished for their “crime.” Nonetheless, “Parents were also encouraged to give a Christian education to their children as an antidote against the atheism with which they were poisoned in the communist schools.” Tortured for Christ pg. 124. And parents who loved their children heeded this encouragement, and so the light shone on.
As I read this, I thought about the teaching in our own public schools here in the U.S. My son began this year in sophomore English with a lesson on creation myths, beginning with Genesis. I suspect that any suggestion by a student that the creation story of Genesis is not a myth would be discouraged because people of other faiths or no faith at all might be offended. In biology class, a large part of the curriculum for this year is on the Theory of Evolution. I suspect that any suggestion by a student that Evolution on the macro-level (meaning humans evolved over time starting with a single-celled organism) is not true and that the Theory of Intelligent Design makes more sense would be laughed at, and any test answers to that effect would certainly not result in a good grade.
It seems to me that in our current environment, parents should be encouraged to give a good Christian education to their children as an antidote to the subtle atheism and godlessness with which they are poisoned in our public schools. As darkness sets in, we must work to keep the light burning. We cannot sit back and hope the younger generation understands that faith in Christ is grounded in reason, that the scriptures we rely on have a firm foundation for accuracy, and that God is real and loves them with a love so divine it transcends all understanding. We must teach them these truths. We must show them the light.
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I think that is just wonderful! It is a very special thing to have a close relationship with your child where you are able to share truth and trust that it will not return void. The Lord has shown me some things about that.
I have had some very humbling experiences. Homeschooling parents (especially Christian ones) can become very proud and respecters of…”themselves”, and not even realize it; it is so easy to slip from a position of honoring God to a position of merely honoring “forms of godliness”. I know that I was and I still can be that way, and I just hate it. The Lord points that out to me daily.
This is a very thoughtful post and I have so many thoughts on this subject but they are not those of the “typical Christian” Homeschooler.
“Sometimes the darkness gets to me, but then I am reminded that no matter how dark it gets, there is a light to show me the way. Speaking of Jesus as well as His witness John the Baptist, the apostle John wrote:
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. John 1:4-9.”
My son is 22 now and my daughter is 16. I applaud the convictions expressed in both your posts and the comments. Sometimes the darkness gets to me, too; both the darkness without and the dark places within. Do not grow weary of well doing, but the most important thing is to keep clinging to what you know…”that no matter how dark it gets, there is a light to show me the way”. If your child has faith in Jesus, that light will be in Him guiding him. We parents might be their trainers, but praise the Lord! He is the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Looking unto Jesus,
Theresa
I enjoyed this post. It is true that parents should teach their children the truth and have good books on hand that offer a Christian perspective. There is a company called “Apologia” that have great science books. Both of my children have used them.
Theresa, Thanks for the tip on Apologia. I will check that out. Back in the 7th grade my son actually did a speech for Communications class arguing that Intelligent Design should be taught alongside evolution in science class. I was surprised that he was able to find some good resource materials in the school’s Opposing Viewpoints database. He did a great job with the speech and got an A. Peace, Linda
Beautiful site Linda! I’ll be back to check out more of your work soon!
Alton, Thanks for stopping by and for the nice comment. Peace, Linda
“I suspect that any suggestion by a student that the creation story of Genesis is not a myth would be discouraged because people of other faiths or no faith at all might be offended.”
You are correct. An important question to ask is, how would you feel if a student of another faith (Hinduism, Islam, Mormonism, Scientology, or Neo Paganism) used class time to proclaim that their creation story was not a myth and the truth that everyone should believe?
“I suspect that any suggestion by a student that Evolution on the macro-level (meaning humans evolved over time starting with a single-celled organism) is not true and that the Theory of Intelligent Design makes more sense would be laughed at, and any test answers to that effect would certainly not result in a good grade.”
Correct. Because Intelligent Design is not backed up by science, and you are describing what would happen in a science classroom.
Again, consider if the public school taught what the Raliens believe, that humans were artificially created and designed by advanced aliens. Do you want that taught to your children as if it were actual science? I have my doubts.
Thanks for the comment. I would welcome a discussion in which students were allowed, or encouraged, to discuss their differences of faith. I would prefer that the teacher, however, not tell any student that what they have been taught at home is the truth is really just a myth.
However, I strongly disagree that Intelligent Design is not backed up by science. There are many scientists who study the complexity of the universe and see evidence that it is more likely than not that life could not have happened randomly as Evolutionary theory suggests. There are also scientists who see problems with Evolutionary theory. Just because Evolution is the current preferred theory currently doesn’t mean it is correct. However, the purpose of this blog is not to get into a scientific debate, but to provide encouragement and light to the world. Peace, Linda
Wonderful post, Linda. I have heard about that book from a friend, but have never read it. I will have to try to find a copy. To me the saddest part is that some people willing choose darkness. I guess it comes back to “they love darkness because their deeds are evil.” I know that I need to allow my light to shine more than I do! Thanks for this post- it will give me something to think about all day!
Ben, Jim of Blessed Dad’s weblog recommended it to me and I am so glad I got it. And it was free, too! 😉 I need to let my light shine more, too. Peace, Linda
Hi Linda
Thank you for this awakening post about how we are so easily sucked into the vortex of the world around us that wants to believe in their own wisdom rather than subject themselves to one who is superior, higher and in fact their own creator. Just one thing that came to mind was the fact that Christ is able to reach those who have chosen to live in the dark. Paul did not seek Christ but instead Christ sought him. When I lived in the Middle East, I was so taken aback by the testimonies of staunch and often radical muslims who saw a vision of Jesus come and speak to them and transform them from their darkness into His light. All of us born again christians did not seek Christ but He sought us and pulled us out of our dark worlds into His glorious light.
In Him,
Vineet
Vineet, You are so right! In fact, in Tortured for Christ , Richard Wurmbrand speaks of many communists who Christ called out of darkness and how he and other tortured Christians were witnesses to the light. There is a verse in which Jesus says that no one can come to Him unless the Father calls them. When I pray for those who are in darkness my prayer is always that the Father calls them to Christ. Peace, Linda
Thanks, Linda.
Really praying that God would give you strength as you bring forth what He’s placed on your heart.
This is a lot ( a whole lot) to digest. Sometimes I feel like we’ve lost a generation but this entry is an encouragement that God is able to do what seems impossible. Yes, we must show them the light. Keeping what we know ‘close to our chests’ is not helping at all.
Sunday School was the place we had questions answered when I was a child… what will we do for the ‘un-churched’? How do we help them see the light?
… If we don’t tell them, they won’t know. 🙁
Blessings
ann
Ann, My son has a friend who says he is an atheist, and I have a neice who says the same thing. It breaks my heart. Jesus said a lamp was not meant to be kept under a basket; His light is not meant to be hidden in our hearts and not shared. Thanks for your encouragement. Peace, Linda
What a heartfelt and relevant post! If we don’t teach them, who will? I remember the youth pastors praying for more back up at home to what they were doing.
About the darkness and light … I can remember those dark days. I would run from the light. Praying for others who are in that place, to see the light and not turn away.
God bless you as the Holy Spirit fills you with what is important to Him, and you write . . .
Deb, I remember those dark days, too, and they give me hope. If I found the light, our youth can, too! Thank you for your prayers. Peace, Linda