“Awake, Oh sleeper. Arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you. “ - Ephesians 5:14
My entire life, I have been intrigued by the mingling of bright sunshine with deep shadows. If I was standing in the sun, everything exposed around me, my pupils small and trained to work in the light… I could not (for the life of me) make out details in the shadows. They were always dark, always foreboding.
And, on the flip side, if I was walking in deep shadow – enveloped by the darkness – the bright beams of light were blinding! I would turn away in a moment – shielding my eyes from the glare.
Similar laws govern the spiritual realm as well. If you awaken from the sin and darkness all around you, it is only because God has called you by name to walk in newness of life. He calls you to a life wrapped in freedom and light. That light can seem terrifying at first. But, the moment you step into it’s warmth, all fear is gone.
Satan will try to deceive you, no doubt. He will do his best to persuade you to remain in the darkness with him, worried that the light will expose too much! He will beckon to your senses and the fleeting pleasure that sin affords, and stop at nothing to keep you under the powers of darkness and this present age.
The silver lining is this: God takes the worst of our past, the hidden parts, and redeems them. He exchanges them for a testimony. Our stories, when shared with others in honesty and vulnerability, are used by God to call others out of the shadows and into His marvelous light!
Prayer: LORD, only you can call us out of the bondage to sin. It is only in your power that we can arise from the dead and walk in your ways. We cannot do it without you. Have your way with us; unshackle us and give us the courage to share everything you have done in our lives!
