The scene opens on an upstairs room in the early morning light. A woman is bent over her Bible reading intently. Even though a fire burns across the way, it is dark; the weather outside reflects her mood. Ominous clouds hover over the mountains beyond, with fog fingering down through trees and crevices. The background music is pensive and uneasy. The woman is tired, even though it is still morning. She looks in the pages of her Bible for hope, to lift her above the worries and concerns weighing her down.
Suddenly, in
a familiar passage, she discovers something new, and lifts her head to laugh. Tears
trickle down her face. At that moment, the sun breaks through the clouds, bursting
through the window with bright hope and love from her Father. She turns to feel
its warmth, laughing at His display of gentle humor. “Thank you, Jesus. Thank
you.”
The music
swells in glorious triumph; she can almost hear the angels singing back-up. She
turns to look at the dark corners in the far reaches of the room and His
message is clear. “See to it, dearest child.”
She nods. “Yes,
Lord. I will. Thank you.”
This is what
I imagine it would have looked like if this scene from my life were made into a
movie. In a time of deep need, God used a phrase from His Word to speak to me
in such a powerful way that it continues to resound. A verse, which I have read
countless times, suddenly, forcefully, told me to “See to it.” And I am trying
to do just that.
What do you
picture when you hear that command – a pointing finger, a stern reprimand, a
warning? I see that and more, yet spoken by my loving Savior, I know His
instruction is for my own good.
Jesus’
familiar teaching from Luke eleven about letting our light shine to the world, is
followed by a lesser known illustration. What we take in through our eyes is
what makes our whole body either darkness or light. Then the zinger that took
my breath away, “See to
it, then, that the light within you is not darkness” (Luke 11:35, author’s emphasis).
Jesus wrapped up this example with verse 36: “Therefore, if your whole body is
full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when
a lamp shines its light on you.”
The point that went straight to my heart is that God’s light is always shining.
Each of us chooses, however, how much or little of that light we’re willing to
take in. We can look full-faced at His glorious radiance and trust Him to make
all things right in His time. Or we can huddle in the darkness. Despite the
light shining on us, we can choose to gaze dejectedly at the dark corners of
uncertainty, pain, and despair of this world.
This is a message I needed to hear in full color. And our gracious God
met me there. I haven’t forgotten the message, and whenever I begin to go down
that path, I hear His voice inside me saying, “See to it, child. See to it.”
That’s my cue to turn the eyes of my heart to the light only Christ brings, and
share that light with others.
#hopefordepression #lifeisworthliving #suicideprevension #lightoverdarkness #Luke11:35 #youareloved
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