Lamp Light
Snow had been falling for hours. Huge fluffy white flakes spilling from Heaven or as my almost two year old says, “flying” all over the streets. I had all the window blinds open and the light was just spilling into the kitchen. I love that bright light that reflects off the snow. Love the radiant glow it cascades into our house. It was a glorious snow, angelic almost. Quieting. That was until the wind started blowing in upwards of 75 mph and the power shut off.For an entire evening we went without power. Actually ended up rolling a kerosene lamp. Like, I’m talking old school pioneer days kerosene lamp. Oh, we made it fun by roasting hot dogs in the fireplace, coloring by candlelight, telling stories, reading books and having a massive camp out in my daughters’ room. By 2:30 in the morning our power was restored. Lights came on, heat warmed the house.We made it fun, but it wasn’t convenient in any way. It could have gotten really scary had the entire city been out of power for too long. Lucky for us it lasted a mere 12 hours. By 8:45 the next morning we were sledding down a snow hill by the soccer fields and by 10:30 we were back home having hot cocoa and buttery kettle corn.Life isn’t quit that tidy. Too many times to mention something that has a glorious start seems to lose its power and darkness falls. A paralyzing darkness. Paralyzing because it happens within us, and usually it lasts longer than 12 hours. Dark times reveal what we depend on.Like I said we used a “little house on the prairie” kerosene lamp to light our house during the power outage. I sent several pictures to my mom, who understandably, wanted to make sure we had what we needed to make it through the night. Her text back is still with me, it settled as deep truth.“Love it!!!! Here’s what comes to mind you little pioneers…”Your words are a lamp unto my feet.” God’s words. Psalms 91 – your protection tonight. Love u.”When the power goes out the only light is a glow from a lamp. That night we literally followed each other around with the lamp light, helping light the way to whatever the other was doing. We had to stay huddled near the lamp light to see, we had to stay huddled together next to the lamp light to be a help to each other. Because without it, the hallway we would try to walk through was pitch black. Zero light.Dark times reveal what we depend on. I depend heavily on conveniences like a light switch and centralized heat and air. Sad to say that when the power went out my husband and I didn’t default to our brightest Light. We didn’t pray as soon as the heat shut off. We made phone calls, we gathered resources, and we strategized a plan. {Now all that is well and good, but I’m trying to tap into a point here with our nervous habits or dependencies}In just a few days my husband and I will travel with Compassion International to Haiti. We have been SO aware of our need to depend on God while we travel to Haiti. I mean that is WAY outside our normal box, so we have spiritually prepared to NEED God while we go to Haiti. You know what 12 hours without my conveniences and power in my three bedroom first world house revealed? My dependency…Conviction surfaced that I’m living under the illusion that “I don’t think that I need to be huddled to the Lamp Light so close.” And I’m not talking about my little house on the prairie lamp. My feathers got ruffled when a few things went dark and I realized how little I am reeeeaaaccchhhhhiiiinnggggg out towards Jesus while I’m nestled snug as a bug in a three bedroom small town rug. Ouch. You and I don’t “got it” be it here in the good ole US of A or travelling to Haiti. I recognize that is not proper grammar, but I think you get the point a little better if I just write like I’m talking…human.Our only hope, whether the lights are bright as day or dark as night, is being tucked tight as we can by the Lamp Light. Because truth is most times the light by the Lamp is all were are going to see, that glow will be all that is revealed. The rest will still be with God. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever.” {Deuteronomy 29:29} As we stay huddled next to the Lamp, more light will be exposed and more help and revelation will come…because once God’s Light is revealed it is ours forever.I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t want to just see Lamp Light in Haiti, oh I want and expect to see exceedingly Great Light there, however I don’t want to depend on seeing it JUST there.We have to stay huddled beside the Lamp Light to grow our marriages, our friendships, raise our babies, stand boldly proclaiming Jesus to our neighbors, and navigate death, uncertainty, cloudy dreams and foggy hopes…right where we are at this exact moment. The world goes dark sometimes and the ONLY Light to get you though, give you wisdom to help others, or step where you cannot see is just as my mom said, “Your Word is a Lamp to my feet, a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105God’s Light isn’t far off or hidden to be mean. The secrets or promises of God are only hidden to be revealed. We just need to make sure we don’t wander off down a dark hall with no Lamp Light to guide our way. If we stay so close to the warmth and glow of that Light, the wisdom, peace, comfort, direction, revelation, certainty, love….oh, well it’s just as it says in Deuteronomy 30:11, John 8:12 and Psalm 91~“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” Deuteronomy 30:11“Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress my God, in whom I trust. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place the Most High, who is my refuge - no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:1-2; 9-11
