Master of My Darkness

In certain areas of my life, I have darkness down pat, or at least I think I do. (Fortunately, I am not talking about the darkness that is caused by the hypocritical coverup of habitual sin, or the darkness that is caused by loving God's blessings more than Him) Here's what I'm talking about! I can get up any time of the night and navigate through my bedroom to find my phone (which is my clock), to find the drawer with my back-scratch-er, and choose the right door knob to get to the hallway that leads to the living room, kitchen or to the bathroom. I am the master of my night time darkness.

Today though, my heart was broken as I walked into the sordid travesty of the lives of those who once had a great influence on my life for Jesus. I am not ashamed of them ... but it is hard to wrestle with the fact that my life was powerfully challenged and changed by their words, and all the while they were carrying some awful coverups of sin in their lives and the lives of their family. At first I questioned ... How could God use them so mightily? But now after a reflection that I will share with you ... The broken-heavyhearted question remains: How much more could they had done, had they allowed that same power they preached of to truly wash them from their sin, instead of catering and coddling it in the darkness of their homes.

Take a moment and read the following passages ... Remember, He is the Master of the Darkness, and He is found in that Darkness - He is there. His Darkness came between Israel and her enemies. God brings His rescue from the Darkness ... and when our darkness is surrendered to Him or we surrender to Him in the oppression of our darkness - We find treasure and riches there - because We will truly know Him. When we treasure that relationship above all else ... the Darkness holds no Limit!

Isaiah 45:3 "And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel."

Amazing promises are buried in this one but with conditions:
Isaiah 58:8-10 - "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday."

1. Take away the "yoke" - any binding or agreement that causes oppression (no secret cover ups -confess and forsake sin).
2. Take away the finger pointing - don't blame or redirect, take responsibility for you actions and reactions.
3. Take away Speaking Vanity - don't give advice to sin, to serve self, or to oppress others.

THEN - draw out your soul to hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul ... This is the key to the life of Light: If you just take care of yourself you will end up "Taking Care of just Your Self" and soon you will be involved in a cover up, an oppression and an offensive lifestyle. Oh, how much more can come from our lives as we allow Him to be master of our Darkness.

Too many are falling,

too few even care,

surrender your darkness to Him,

and you will find Him there.

HLFA,

Jeff