THE JAIL OF DARKNESS

 

THE JAIL OF DARKNESS

Matt. 27: 45 “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.” NIV

Being in the darkness may not bother you, but for some, it can be a very traumatic experience. In a world where we have so much light available to ward off the darkness, it can be faced with relative calmness. As we gaze upon the darkness of the cross, there are some observations we can make.

Darkness can keep us from knowing where we are at where we are going. John 12:35-36 tells us that Jesus is the light that lights up the world. In a world where evil and chaos reigns, we need Jesus more than ever. Live in Christ and you will always know where you are at and where you are going.

Darkness keeps us from knowing who we are. When people live in the darkness of their souls, they lose all sense of who they are or can be. Jesus alone can give us a clear sense of who we are in the scheme of life. He gives us purpose for living and confidence in our standing with God.

Darkness keeps us from having fellowship with God. Jesus experienced a break in His fellowship with God when He took our sins upon himself in the darkness of the cross. Darkness of the soul is the cesspool of sin. John 3:19-21

Darkness of the soul keeps us from knowing the truth. John 8:42-47 Why is there so much deception in the world? Satan is the father of all lies, and when Christ is absent from the heart, people naturally lie.

Darkness keeps us from being able to give and receive love. I John 2:9-11. God is love, and when the soul is swallowed up in darkness, compassion and caring goes out the window. Selfishness rules the heart and keeps others at bay. God’s love is a giving, sacrificial love, and only in Christ will you be able to fulfill God’s command to love others, even as Christ loves us.

When darkness grips the soul, life becomes a miserable life to live. We lose all hope and often resist helping hands. All we can see is the darkness, and it becomes our reality. Jesus went into that darkness and conquered it. He lights up the pathway to hope. He offers us a real purpose for life and gives it meaning. He is our eternal light and all who surrender their lives to Him not only find help and hope out of their darkness, they live forever in the Light of the world.