Every one of us has a past life, a history, or, as my pastor says, ‘We are all ex-somebodies.’ The challenge of the new life in Christ is to leave the past and focus on the now. We cannot change a single thing about our history; we can only change our perspective and our response to it. Paul says that you were at one time darkness: not only in the dark, or living in the darkness, but darkness itself. I was united to the darkness. Like a cult-like, controlling family, I had a genetic bond with darkness, and its power entranced me. I was surrounded by it on every side and captivated by its strange and alluring power. Darkness represents an unenlightened and misguided life filled with evil and all its relatives and friends, such as misery, destruction, disaster and death. Like a fish in water, we were engulfed in this realm, completely unaware that there was even another world.
But now. You were at one time, a certain way, but now, you are changed. You were darkness, but now, things are different, and everything has shifted. You have left the old, tyrannical regime that kept you under its thumb; oppressed and enslaved. You have now entered a brand-new world of freedom and opportunity. You have not only entered in, but you have become spiritually, and thus vitally, connected to the light. You were darkness, but now, you are light. You were, but now, you are. That was then, this is now. You are light, but not light with its own, original power source. No! You are light in the Lord. You are in Him, that is, you are in union with Him, who is the ultimate power source. You are closer than two entities could ever be; in fact, your being has been assimilated into His, and you now have His identity. I have a new identity because of my new nature, which is light. It is natural now, we might say, to live and walk in the light.
Our lives are not to be fearful and frantic, nor harried and hurried. They are to be a walk with the Lord in the light. Walk, don’t run, we sometimes tell our children. Walk. Slow down. Pace yourself. Enjoy the view. It is amazing how much ground can be covered if one just keeps walking. We are children of light, which means we have been born of light and we thus have a nature that is drawn to the light; it is completely at home in the light. Walk. Don’t strive, or struggle, or try to make things happen; just walk. Walking is normal to life, and it is within the ability of all people. It takes no special skill to walk, and that should make us happy because we may not consider ourselves to have any special skills. Christianity is not a huge set of rules to follow or tasks to accomplish. It is simply an illuminated walk with your Father through life. Let Him point out what needs to happen, and which road to take. When we walk with another, we usually enjoy quiet conversation, and we may also notice interesting things along the way. We walk together, we talk with one another, and we appreciate the companionship as we journey through life side by side. The sun is up, and the light is shining; let’s go for a walk!
Good thoughts. In not rushing I’m reminded that we just need to deliberately keep doing the next right thing.
This is a dark thought, Doug. “Paul says that you were at one time darkness: not only in the dark, or living in the darkness, but darkness itself.”
I am deeply grateful that Christ rescued me from that darkness.
Thank you for this word.