John 11:9-10 – Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (NKJV)

John 12:46 – I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. (NKJV)

When my husband and I began to travel by boat up the inside passage on the west coast of Canada, there was one stipulation that I made, and that was that we would never travel at night.

However, there was one occasion when we were detained by our purchasers, and we began our journey very late in the evening. The eerie blackness of the sky (not one star could be seen) and the blackness of the water seemed to close in on me. The only light that we had in the wheelhouse was the small glimmer which revealed our compass reading. Even when my husband would walk around the deck to see (if possible) that all was well, the sudden opening of the door startled me. Hour after hour into that darkness we went, with only the sound of the swishing waters indicating that we were actually moving. The engine seemed to be particularly silent! Then, my husband made a very definite change in our direction as indicated by the compass. Suddenly, the night sky was pierced as if by a blazing sword cutting into the darkness. It was the beacon encircling the whole area. We had arrived safely at our destination! Indeed, I shall never forget that moment. I never would have anticipated or even imagined such a situation in which I would trust my very existence into the hands of my heavenly Father. There was no light in my world.

Colossians 1:13-14 – He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (NKJV)

Only when I experienced the power of darkness did I put my very survival into the hands of my heavenly Father, and He never failed me. Similarly, it is when spiritual darkness engulfs us that we turn to God for salvation in Christ. Later, it is often the case that we drift spiritually and take our relationship with God for granted. At such times, it is good to remember the power of darkness from which He has delivered us, through the forgiveness of our sins.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, the darkness in our society is extremely powerful. Use that to remind us of the darkness from which You have delivered us, and encourage us not to give up, so that we will continue to shine as Your lights in this dark world. We pray in the name of Your Son and our Saviour, Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Vena Poole Sandycove Acres, Innisfil, Ontario, Canada