This morning, several hours before dawn, I went outside to start my smoker in preparation to smoke a pork shoulder. The smoking process will take about 10 hours, so I needed to get an early start.
It was one of those crisp and clear early fall nights when stars stand out with intense clarity. We live in an area free from light pollution, so stars appear with brilliance against the backdrop of a black night sky. It was so beautiful and awe-inspiring that I remained outside for a while and prayed.
When I finished praying, I went back inside and began to read Scripture. I was in the first chapter of John where I read, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:5). The word “never” stood out to me just like the stars I had seen just moments ago.
As our world swirls in a pool of fear and despair and as compromised politicians, media, and theologians plant lies in the hearts of people while conspiratorial theories continue to abound, no matter how it all sounds to our natural mind, those issues are not gaining the upper hand no matter how it might appear. The light of Jesus will never be extinguished by such things. Unless we believe the truth of this verse, we will begin to believe the lies and become distracted pursuing lesser solutions for the world’s problems – solutions that will never fully satisfy the deepest needs of the human heart or offer the kind of hope that overcomes earthly despair.
A few verses later, John wrote, “But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God” (vs. 12). This verse and many others like it confirm a choice must be made if someone is to become a child of God. It doesn’t just happen. Unless we understand the truth of this verse, we will not burn with passion to see people saved. We will believe errant interpretations of Scripture that try to convince us there is no need to make a choice. Those falsehoods infer that our salvation just happens out of the goodness of God’s heart without the engagement of our will.
The clarity of Scripture is like the stars I saw last night. Truth stands out in the darkness and will bring us clarity on the most significant issues of life if we remain focused on what God has said, not on the well-crafted lies that rob us of spiritual clarity – a clarity only Jesus can provide.
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” (Revelation 22: 16).
There is a high cost for free will. If you live in the moment, you may miss eternity. Choose wisely grasshopper.