The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil.
John 3:19 Amp
...the test by which men are judged... love of darkness...? or... love of Light...?
And... what shall I do...? Love Light...
But the darkness... it presses... both within... and without...
A conversation in the kitchen... finds me with eyes rolling...
Standing in the Light... loving the Light... requires that I recognize this interior darkness... an unbelief... a judgmental cynicism...
and the Word echoes...
Time to straighten out... something crooked...
confess...
repent...
allow Him to work...
in me...
The exterior darkness... presses... and my flesh... it wants to let go... sensing danger... I have plenty of my own darkness to deal with... do I really need to take on that in the world...? and I remember...
In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men.
And the Light shines on in the darkness,
for the darkness has not overpowered it...
John 1:4-5 Amp (emphasis added)
The darkness... never... overpowers... Light... therefore there is no need to be afraid of exposing darkness... either within... or without...
He is my Life... my Light... and He will not... be overpowered...
What if we really believed that Jesus is present when people are broken, and the way he chooses to move and comfort will often be through the lives of fellow believers, journeying image bearers, living their broken lives with us?
---Emily P Freeman, A Million Little Ways
... journeying image bearers... living their broken lives with us...
Dare I accept... the brokenness... the darkness of others... as a benefit to myself...? more of that miracle of Him... who works all things for good...?
Here I am challenged to accept... embrace... that this journey... will bring me up against darkness... in many different ways... within... and... without... and He uses it all... to move... and comfort us... along the way...
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