My grandchildren love to play with flashlights, so I make sure they are readily available in a special place that little hands can reach. They are an inexpensive toy that entertain for hours. (Yay, Dollar Store!)

Even when it’s not dark outside, they will take the flashlights to the basement or a dark room and have adventure with those little lights. Carrying those small flashlights in their hands, they have all the confidence they need to face the darkness.

What I especially love is that when nighttime falls we can see those bouncing lights all over the yard, no matter how far away they might be–and it gives us the same quiet confidence–that there is a little person right behind that light.  We can’t even see their face, but we can see the light that represents the person that is holding it.

Oh, Father.

Our Heavenly Father, the One Who holds the stars in His hands wants to remind us that He is The Light.  He is the One who shines in the darkness.

“I will lead the blind by a way they did not know;
I will guide them on paths they have not known.
I will turn darkness to light in front of them
and rough places into level ground.
This is what I will do for them,
and I will not forsake them.”  Isaiah 42:16

“I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

“Happy are the people who know the joyful shout;
Yahweh, they walk in the light of Your presence.”     Psalm 89:15

“Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.” James 1:17

It takes on a whole new meaning when you read these passages by candlelight.  Try it sometime.  The darkness of those days without electricity was a spiritual metaphor that was made evident in reality.  If you’ve lived in the city all of your life with street lights and electricity, you could only experience that kind of darkness by entering a closet or room with no windows–or by traveling a good distance to escape the glow of civilization.

In the jungles of Peru, even the moonlight and stars are dimmed by the trees.  Darkness takes on a whole new dimension, and sounds are magnified. Unfamiliar sounds. Sounds that represented some kind of animal.  An unfamiliar animal. The small flashlight from my backpack might have seemed unworthy of such a large task, but I can tell you that I had more trust in that little bit of light than I did of a trustworthy hand that might lead me.

Sure, I could take the hand of my brave husband and trust him to lead me, but

Possessing the light gave me confidence to walk on my own.

Do you see it?  He is the Light.

Psalm 36:9 says it this way:

It is knowing the Source of light and the truth of His Word that allows His light to guide us and shine through us.

Just like Moses, we soak up The Light when spend time in His presence:

“Moses descended from Mount Sinai—with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands as he descended the mountain—he did not realize that the skin of his face shone as a result of his speaking with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone!”  Exodus 34:29-30

I confess.  My face, my countenance, my attitude doesn’t always testify to the fact that I have been in God’s presence.

But it should.

In my heart of hearts, I really do want to be a reflection of that Light.  I want to walk in obedience in such a way that others might see Him–in my actions and my attitudes.

Especially in those moments that seem the darkest.

When I added gold to my flashlight picture, I was amazed at the result:

“You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith—more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:6-7

Light is an amazing thing.  No matter how small that flashlight is, if the batteries are charged there is no way to stop it.  You can cover it with your hand and your hand becomes the source of light.  Try to contain it, and It will spew out tiny reflections of light through any crack it will find…

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16