In the Dark

I stumbled upon the following verse (pun intended) last night as I was reading in anticipation for today’s post. This morning I came across it again and knew it was the verse for me today.

“The way of the wicked is as darkness…” – Proverbs 4:19a

The rest of the verse will be addressed in a moment, but I would like for you to do something for me: Think of the darkest dark you’ve ever experienced.

Was it deep inside a cave when the tour guide turned off the lights? Was it when you were lost in the woods? Was it that moment when on a dark road your headlights suddenly went out?

Whenever it got the darkest you can remember, do you remember the darkness being so thick you could almost feel it?

The word that is translated “darkness” in verse 19 is the same word used to describe the darkness that plagued Egypt in Exodus 10:21-22. God told Moses to stretch forth his hand toward the sky, then the Lord promised a thick darkness, one that could be felt, would cover the Egyptians for 3 days. This was a deep, gloomy, dreadful darkness without a hint of light. Sounds scary, doesn’t it?

“The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.” – Proverbs 4:19

Solomon is trying to tell you and me that the wicked (those who live with no regard for God) are walking a dark, dark path, even though they are convinced they can clearly see. Then, without warning, they stumble over something…a stick?…a snake? They get bit, but can’t tell what happened. They seek help, but they know not what for. They seek answers for the wounds caused by a fall, but then keep going down the same, dark path oblivious to the next danger.

If only the light of God’s wisdom would be allowed to illuminate the path, one could avoid the pitfalls. However, those who reject God think it wise to continue forward into the dark – because, after all, who needs God or faith, right?

My daughter’s front walk. Sunny in Charleston, S.C.

In the Light

But what of us who have the Light? What of us who can clearly see the potholes and cracked pavement, the sticks and/or snakes? Why is it, when we have the illuminating beams of the Word of God, we still stumble and fall as if our way was still dark?

It’s because we choose to.

We should thank God for His marvelous and matchless grace every moment of every day, for how much worse is it to know what will make us stumble and then trip anyway?

But I’m glad there is hope for those like you and I who stumble in the light!

“My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” – 1 John 2:1

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me…’twas blind, but now I see.”