WALKING IN THE DARK--by Linden Malki

"DARKROOM- Please make sure door is closed, so that the dark can't leak out."  We know that scientifically, "dark" is defined as the absence of light, but there are times that it feels like it is a thing in itself, with a palpable substance.  We know from Scripture and science that at the beginning of time, there is a point at which Light happens.  From this point, dark in most cases retreats from light. 

There several ways that darkness happens.  One is the obvious: the absence of light.  But light is sneaky--like in the case of a darkroom, a crack of light overcomes the dark.

Things can be dark for different reasons: as above, when there is no light.  Another is when something obscures the light--an enclosure,  a tunnel, a cave, or something similar.  Sometimes it is absorbed, as in a thick fog or a non-reflective surface. 

Darkness is a part of our life in this world--most obviously the cycle of light and darkness that we call "day" and "night."  Our physical lives are a constant struggle against darkness, which makes sense, because we are fairly helpless in total darkness.  We walk into a dark room, and look for the light switch.  If the lights go out, the first thing we do is look for flashlights and candles. We know the dangers of walking in the dark.  Even the Creator, whose design includes night, provided a limit to the darkness, and provided a reflective moon and light-emitting stars to turn night into a thing of beauty. 

The writings of John use the metaphor of light as an attribute of God, and Jesus came as an embodiment of this light (John 1:3-9).  He quotes Jesus (John 3:19-21) as pointing out that even this Light came into the world, there are those who preferred darkness as a cover for their sin. Jesus, on six occasions recorded in the Gospel of John, refers to himself as the Light of the World.  In the letter we call I John, we find him expanding the commandments of Jesus: Again, a new commandment I write to you, which is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines He that says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even now. He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he that hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, not knowing where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:8-11)

There are those in our world who prefer darkness and secrecy; there are those who are stumble around not aware that there is light available.  We, as His followers, should be aware of the light He has given us, and ask Him to use us to spread this Light to our world.