Lighting Up The Darkness

By: Maureen R. Danielsen

I look forward to my mornings with God. By the time the first rays of dawn creep over the rooftops I've long since been filled with the light of His presence. Through His Word He comforts me, counsels me, encourages me, and, yes, even rebukes me... more often than I wish was necessary.

One day last spring I came to my morning devotions with a lot on my mind. I'd taken my annual mammogram the previous week. By Friday the Women's Diagnostic Center had called and asked me to return for a few more pictures. As I sat on the couch sipping my coffee that Tuesday morning, dark thoughts kept flitting through my mind. What if it's... I shook my head. None of the women in our family had ever had breast cancer, at least, none that I knew of, so I was just being a silly. I glanced up at the ceiling. Right, Lord?

The clock ticked. Otherwise, silence. I sighed and opened up my journal. "O Lord," I wrote after a moment's thought, "there's nothing to be concerned about, is there? I mean, I've had so many false alarms in the past. This is just another one, right? I admit my thoughts aren't good. Please be with me today. And please tell me if it will be good news or bad. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."

Now, I didn't go looking for verses that would say what I wanted to hear. If I had, I wouldn't have recorded this: "Christ will be magnified in [your] body, whether by life or by death...to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer..." (Philippians 1:20-21, 19) As I look again at this quote today, the words fail to convey the power of the message I received that morning: Yes, indeed, I had cancer, but whether I lived or died, it would all be to the Lord's glory.

Needless to say, the radiologist said exactly what the Spirit said he would. The poor man looked so sad that I patted him on the arm and said, "The Lord already told me this morning what you were going to say, so don't feel bad. You simply confirmed what I already knew."

He blinked a few times, then said, "I don't think I've ever had anyone take this kind of news the way you have."

By the grace of God, I was then able to share with him the blessed assurance I have in Jesus. Oh, what a glorious victory that was! You see, the very thing that had brought me to Christ in the first place was my morbid fear of death. To think that some thirty-plus years later I'd actually embrace the thought of going to my eternal reward was nothing short of a miracle!

Psalm 119:105 says: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Last spring I needed some light to illuminate the darkness. I reached for the Lord's lamp, His Word, and it lit my way to victory instead of defeat.

Are you facing a terrible trial in your life? Then grab God's "flashlight" off your bedside table and use it! His Word will light up your darkness, "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

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