November 13, 2023
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
-John 1:5
The clocks have moved back, and I find myself driving home from work in the dark and trying to squeeze as much riding time as I can out of every available opportunity. As long as the temperature is above 40, I ride when I can and for as long as I can. The darkness and the cold are really putting a damper on things. I managed to ride to TN for the weekend and I thought about the devotion for this week a lot and I found myself focusing on the darkness that seems to be taking over our days so much sooner and keeping me off the road. Then I started thinking about how often the Bible talks about light and darkness. Darkness, and cold for that matter, brings a lot of sorrow to many motorcycle riders, because we are denied that joy of being out on two wheels. However, this is nothing compared to the darkness that many of us once lived in, and, sadly, many of us still do.
There was a time, I can recall clearly, before the true moment of my salvation, before the light entered my life, where the darkness consumed me, it consumed my family, it consumed my marriage and my sin was to blame. My love and attraction for my sin nature was on the brink of destroying my life and the lives of those I love the most in this world. Paul wrote these words in his letter to the Romans, and it describes me, my former life, perfectly:
“For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.”
-Romans 8:7
These words are a harsh reminder of the man I once was, the man that I loved above everything and everyone else in my life. I had one focus in this world and it was me, and me alone. I wanted to do what made me feel good and did not truly give a second thought to how it impacted those around me. My sin was more important and I was drawn to my sin in a very tangible and overwhelming manner. I did not feel lost, I did not feel the darkness closing in around me, I was living my life the way that I wanted and that is what mattered. Of course, on the outside, I demonstrated remorse to those around me, especially to my wife and my son, but on the inside, I knew I was only putting on a show for their benefit. I just found new and more creative ways to conceal my sin from them, not because I was ashamed, but because I was tired of having to apologize and tired of having my behaviors, my sins, pointed out to me. The worst part of all, I professed to be a Christian because that is what people wanted to hear. James provides this very concise summary of my life, up to the moment of my true salvation:
“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
-James 4:7
I knew the right thing to do, but I wanted to do what felt good and what served my selfish desires. I was the furthest thing from a follower of Christ and I see, no, that I was shrouded in darkness. Sin was my god. At the darkest moment, in the darkest hour, God basically grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me, slapped me, and grabbed my attention. I suddenly saw the true light, and realized, for the first time, just what a terrible person I had been, a disappointing son, a poor excuse for a husband, and a joke of a father. I don’t know that I truly had any redeeming qualities, that is until I surrendered my life to Christ. These words, from the prophet Isaiah come to mind:
“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”
-Isaiah 60:1
I was a new creation, just as the Bible promises. I know my inheritance is secured because the Holy Spirit dwells within me. I repented of my sin, I turned away from my former self and I have permitted the light of the Lord to work within me and through me. These words comfort me and bring peace and reassurance:
“Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.”
-Psalm 37:5,6
This inheritance is a focus of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and it is spoken of early and often in his letter.
“Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”
-Ephesians 1:18
And we also see a certain word in this verse, “enlightened.” The theme of light overcoming darkness continues. I am grateful to have been granted this precious gift of salvation, by grace through faith, this light that has entered my life. There are moments where I still fight the darkness of sin, but I don’t fight alone, and, what is most important, is that I am fighting and not relishing in the sin that once pervaded my life. My prayer is that this devotion reaches someone, at least one, and they open their eyes and their heart to that free gift of grace that can only come through faith in Christ. If you don’t know Him, if you find yourself filled with questions, please reach out to me or to someone close to you. Repent of your sin nature, walk out of the darkness and into the light of Christ.
There once was a time when I heard these words of Paul, over and over, and they meant nothing to me, they were just empty words:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
-Romans 6:23
Now, on this side of the darkness, those words compel me to share Christ with others, so that anyone and everyone may know that we are all sinners, salvation does not change that, we will remain sinners, however our sin is repulsive to us, we strive to put it away from us, but what we do have is a savior and a desire to be holy, something none of us, who love our sin, could have ever desired as we lived in the darkness.
“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
-Ephesians 5:8
