Walking Through Darkness

Ephesians 5:8-14
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

I can recall few times having been completely enveloped in darkness. Complete, pitch black darkness is eerie.

One night in 1993, I was traveling by car through North Carolina. I began to notice how wet the roads were. Then it occurred to me at some point, that traffic became very light. Traffic was so sparse at one point there were no other vehicles in the area I was in but one. There was only one car about 100 yards in front of me. It was very dark. I could not see anything around me except for what was in the field of my headlights. And the tail lights on another vehicle.

Suddenly, the vehicle in front of me, indicated by the tail lights, radically moved back and fourth and straightened out again. I decided this vehicle was attempting to avoid hitting something. Smoothly following the suggestion, I moved to the rim of the left lane just in time to have past by the end of a tree.

A tornado had touched down before I arrived in the vicinity. The tree was the largest obstacle I encountered with plenty of debris scattered across my path for about a ¼ mile. I had been listening to music on a cassette tape, so I was unable to get the warnings other motorist received, warning them to stay out of the area.

It occurs to me, either by divine influence or just by chance there was a beacon of light on the road that evening. Without the other car having been there, I may have run over the tree and who knows what would have resulted.

The Koine Greek word used in Ephesians 5:8 is περιπατεῖτε (par-i-pat-eite). Its broadest definition is: “walk with”.

To be enmeshed in darkness in Ephesians 5:11 is σκότος(sko-tose). It is identified from the Resurgence Greek Project link as ‘shady’ or ‘obscurity’. In the broadest sense, skotose is “A realm of Darkness”. In fact, even applies to "spiritual darkness".

We have choices; Complete morality, complete immorality or somewhere in between.

The Lord knows it is difficult to be 100% in tune with His standard or He would not have had His Son die on the cross. We must be careful to not think Grace as a license for sin. Do not walk in darkness. But be persuaded to righteousness.

I pray the Lord not allow me to appear as the driver in front of me, swerving to gain control. But, that the Lord guides me smoothly.