I love a good road trip with my family; exploring new terrain, making memories on an adventure together. The Pacific Northwest is an idyllic place to enjoy trips such as these and recently I had the added bonus when God used one of our adventures to influence my life by "addressing me" in a life changing encounter!
My husband, daughter and I had decided to travel through the Cascade Mountain pass to a little tourist town for a scenic day trip. We started out on our trip a bit late so once we arrived at our destination, the time we were able to spend wandering around this quaint little town was brief although sufficient. This particular adventure happened to be during the ski season and we knew that the roads heading back through the pass would be crowded so we decided to leave this tourist spot just before sunset. My husband is a wonderful and gracious adventurer and he usually takes the driver seat as he did this day so I was a passenger on our return home. From the front passenger seat of our car I spent my time curled up and gazing out the window, mostly thinking and praying that day. But half way through our drive home God showed me something that has shaped my thoughts and the way I live almost every day since.
Along several miles of this highway we travelled right past acres of backyards all lined up nice and neat. When we came to this part of our drive, the night was dark and air was dry. Something in me stirred and I perked up out of my meditative fog when I noticed the lights shining from many of the houses. The lights coming from inside these homes gave a clear almost voyeuristic view into these peoples lives. Many kitchens were well lit, but other rooms were dark or appeared empty. Some smaller windows were illuminated, but had window coverings drawn, to keep out the light of day and possibly the searching eyes such as mine, at night.
I thought to myself, “How would it feel living life so exposed and open to the world?" And then God did His work by bringing this thought to my mind, “You DO live your life exposed -to Me! Whether well lit or dark, I see it all – darkness is as light to Me.” And I shuddered as I remembered the words of David in Psalm 139, “…even in darkness I can not hide from You.”
Traveling on that dark stretch of highway, as I peered into those stranger’s windows, seeing both their hidden and exposed lives, suddenly I was able to see for myself how my life must look to God. Have I tried to “draw the shades” on parts of my life I want to keep from sight? Have I kept the lights out and hidden in the darkness because of fear, sin, or lack of faith?
Suddenly I could see with a fresh new perspective because of this little stretch of highway, on a dark winter night. How much more meaningful God’s Word is to me in verses like Psalm 18:28; “Lord, You have brought light to my life; my God, You light up my darkness.” And Psalm 112:4, “When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in.”
When I look at my own life now, I think of those houses and the light and dark windows. What windows of my life have I tried to conceal from God’s view? What places in me have remained in darkness because of my own doubts of how much God really loves me?
I know God travelled with me that day so that I could learn this important truth! His desire is for me to live in His light; to live free from fear and to enjoy and fully comprehend His abundant, gracious love. Today, I find great peace knowing I can live my life as an open window. Accepting the truth that all of us have areas where we want to keep curtains drawn only fills my heart with compassion for those who have not experienced what living in Jesus' light is like. The world needs the Light of Christ and each one of us has a part in sharing it in this dark world!
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