DARKNESS VS LIGHT

[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (AMP) Colossians 1:13

A message preached by my pastor about two weeks ago sparked my desire to get more revelation in the two contrasts – light and darkness. It’s obvious, you may think.  And I agree; but deeper revelation – insights and clarity on these contrasts, lately, have really cemented my faith further.  I pray it will have the same impact on you as well.

My pastor’s message was based on, among other scriptures, Genesis 28:16 thus:

“And Jacob awoke from his sleep and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.”

Jacob had been on the run. Why? His cunningness and craftiness had caused enmity between him and his brother, Esau – he had deceived him by trading his (Esau’s) birthright with a bowl of lentils!  Oh my! 

Looking at the prevalent circumstances, it was a dark moment, a dark season for Jacob. He is far away from home, and he had only now been able to sleep, under a stone for a pillow!  While still sleeping, Jacob dreamt … angels walking up and down a ladder, and “behold, the Lord stood above and around him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your [father’s] father and the God of Isaac.””

He wakes up and alas, there must be something different in this place – Yes, I am on the run, it is bad at home, I am dejected, rejected, unwanted – I am .… All the negative thoughts must have been racing in his mind!  Yet it is in this place that Jacob is dreaming of angels! The Lord’s presence was around him, and in fact, the Lord even spoke to him; I am the Lord…. And Jacob didn’t know that the Lord was there!

What a contrast!  All the dark things – and all the right things – things of light!  All, at the same place, yet Jacob didn’t know – he didn’t perceive, nor sense that the light (God) was in there, with him!

Around this time, I was experiencing what I would call a “dark” moment.  I kept wondering – Lord, are you in this situation?  Are you aware?  Clouded by the dark moment, I couldn’t feel God. But of course, the Lord in the most gracious way assured me that He was aware of it and He knew about it, and it would all turn out well for His glory.   

Then, I was sharing and praying with a close friend about the “dark” moment.  My friend shared with me, what sounded like a “new entry” into the bible. 

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will take hold of me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me,
And the night will be the only light around me,”

Even the darkness is not dark to You and conceals nothing from You,
But the night shines as bright as the day;

DARKNESS AND LIGHT ARE ALIKE TO YOU.”

Psalm 139:7-12

Take a look at that last line, again – DARKNESS AND LIGHT ARE ALIKE TO YOU – And I add, Oh Lord!!

While for Jacob, it was all about rejection and dejection – utmost darkness, this did not matter to God – His presence was right there with Jacob!  Because darkness and light are one and the same thing to Him. 

Let me take you back a little to the words in John 1:5:

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

My friend, DARKNESS CAN NEVER, EVER EXTINGUISH LIGHT!  IT CAN NEVER OVERPOWER IT!  In fact according to the Amplified Version, “… darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].”

I will be continuing with this article, but just before I pen off:

Have you felt overwhelmed by moments and seasons in your life?  Have you doubted the presence of the Lord (the Light) in your life due to the intensity of what you have had to go through?  Are there some dark sports and moments that are clouding God’s presence in your life? Rest assured that “The light (Christ) shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it!”

He is there with you, whether you sense Him or not, whether you feel Him or not – He is there! 

TBC