Put down your torches...

This week we are going to be looking at what it means that
Jesus Comes to us as: The Light

One thing it means is that only he can bring health & wholeness to our lives... we are so tempted to think that we know what would bring meaning and joy to our lives... and we go after it... or we are constantly fighting against going after it... Isaiah wrote to some folks like us:

Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant?
Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
and by the torches that you have kindled!
This you have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment.

Is there anything harder than trusting God when you are in the dark? When you can't make sense of what is going on and you think you can live another day if only you light this little torch... that will bring peace to my soul. I can always wait for His light tomorrow, right? Ahh, friend ...

wait.... rely.... trust... HOPE!

Oh Jesus, give us grace to stomp out the little torches we--in our idolatry--try to walk by... convince us you are with us in the darkness.