Hey! It's Dark In Here!
A Devotional
© 2001 Steve Lattier and Men's Help Ministries

Have you ever felt that someone has just turned out the lights? Do you sometimes feel as if you are walking around in the dark? Have you ever wished that God would just flick on the lights you could see your way more clearly. How about wondering what is around the next corner in life? Wouldn't you think it would be nice to know what life had in store for you down the road? While that thought has some novel appeal I can assure you that always knowing God's big plan for your life is not what you need! The television is full of advertisements from ungodly people and businesses that would take you hard earned dollars just for the opportunity to play you for a fool by trying to tantalize and tease you about your future. Can people tell the future? Yes of course there are some. (read Acts 16:16-18) Most of what you see on TV are just sinning charlatans who are out to separate you from your money at five dollars a minute. Did you know that God does not want you to know a whole lot about your future for a couple of reasons? God keeps it shrouded in darkness for OUR benefit! He already can look into any part of your life at any point in time and see what is happening. He keeps that from us to save us from ourselves and so that we will learn to trust Him! There is much that goes on around you every single day that you couldn't even begin to fathom.

The Word:
2Kings 6:15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. [16] "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." [17] And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

What would happen to you, Christian, if you could see with that kind of clarity? Would you have the maturity to handle that kind of knowledge every day? I know that I would be beset with the temptation to become very prideful and arrogant. I must thank God for keeping that kind of vision from me. What about the future? If you knew the day you would die, wouldn't it drastically change the way you act? Sure it would. So it is with God's plans for you. Once you become saved and accept your destiny, it would truly astound you to know the whole truth of the matter. Think of your youth, did you ever imagine that you would be doing what you are doing today? I can remember just coming on one short year ago, after reading an Oswald Chambers devotion, thinking to myself “wow I sure don't have that kind of a gift, and boy, I really wouldn't want to write like that every week” Well guess what! Here I am about ten months later writing devotionals every week! Now If God had revealed this future to me back one year ago, I very well could have chickened out! But through His mercy, He helped me grow to a point where I eased into it with Him leading me the whole time. What part of your present, would you have run from if you knew it in your past? Some of you are in struggles right now that you would have avoided had you known about them coming, but you wouldn't be growing like you are now either! Perhaps you are married (a godly one) and if God had shown it to you at a younger age you would have deliberately stayed single (because of your immaturity at the time) God only lets you see just enough to take a step or two. His mercy keeps us from knowing more because He knows we are just to immature to handle the big picture!

The Word:
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

I love this passage. David is talking to God and it illustrates in many ways what we were speaking about above. First there is ownership, David claims it and says “my path.” He knows that God will only work with him on his personal path with God. Second it has a narrow feel to it. The word “path” means that it is not a multilane highway to be sped along but a simple dirt pathway that must be walked, up and down hills, around rocks and through streams. Notice it says “a lamp,” it doesn't talk about floodlights or a handheld five hundred thousand candlepower halogen spotlight. Lamps were very common in David's time, heck that is all they had to light up the night. A typical Davidic lamp looked somewhat like you see in most versions of that “Aladdin” story. It had a reservoir for oil and some type of neck that the wick was run through. They don't typically give off much light. Have you ever walked outside with just a candle, in the dark? It is hard to see more than a couple of steps isn't it? That is just what it is like, walking with God. You can see just enough to take a couple of steps and God keeps the rest shadowed in darkness so that you will trust Him and so that you won't stop walking with Him because of what you see in the distance! Lastly and probably more important than the rest is what makes that lamp work. David says it is God's Word! Reading and studying the Bible will light your way! The more you learn about God's word then the steadier your lamp will burn. Even when the rains come and the wind blows, study of God's word will keep your path lit enough for you to walk down! Even Job in his saddest time remembered walking with God!

The Word:
Job 29:2 "How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, [3] when his lamp shone upon my head and by his light I walked through darkness!

Sticking with God is our only hope of being able to see in the darkness. Not just dark times certainly those will come and go, but the darkness of indecision, fear, doubt and those seasons where we must all wait on God's perfect timing. All of those situations can seem like utter darkness to someone who is struggling with or not walking with God at all. But if you stick even closer to God then you will be able to see, not just because of the light of His Word but the light of God, Himself! Draw close to Him every day so that you may be blessed and you can see enough to take every step down the path of your destiny!

The Word:
Psalm 89:15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.

Pray with me: Father I confess my sins to you today, I have blown it since we last spoke and I am sorry. Lord help me to grow and not repeat those same sins again! Father God I am in need of your light, my world seems pretty dark most of the time. I understand that you won't show me everything and that is for my own good, praise you for that Father. Light my way just as you did for David. I know you are there already shining that light for me, help me to see it and stay in it. Lord help me to learn and study your Word so that I can see, in Jesus name. Amen!

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