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The Light That Darkens

by Dr. Henderson Ward  
4/09/2015 / Christian Living

Not everything meant for good produces good results, and not every evil intension produces evil; such is the nature of paradoxes. Life has its share of paradoxes, and if you live long enough you will experience your full quota of paradoxes. This is true naturally and physically as well as providentially and spiritually.

When innocent Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites, the intention was to get rid of him, remove him from their life, make him something of the past to be soon forgotten. It turned out anything but intended. Joseph turned out to be central to their very existence and survival in a hostile, dreary land as told us in Genesis 50:20.

When Haman, the pompous and vengeful Persian, sought to eliminate the Jew Mordecai, as told in the Book of Esther, he built a tall scaffold on which to hang Mordecai. By a twist of cruel fate, some would say by divine intervention, Mordecai was saved and the same Haman and his sons were hung from that same scaffold for treason.

When Saul of Tarsus took his hostile troops northwards, to slaughter the saints that had fled from Jerusalem, his intentions were to create mayhem and suffering to the people of God. But things did not turn out that way. Divine intervention converted Paul, and turned him around from a feared terrorist to the greatest comforter of saints, and the most faithful supporter of the children of light. God later called Paul a chosen vessel (Acts 9:15)

"Who are you Lord?", when properly digested, in the light of knowledge and truth, should be followed by "What will you have me to do?". A totally different attitude prevails among the stubborn lost, and "Who are you Lord?" is swiftly followed by "Why do you pick on me?" or "I don't want to hear from you so get lost".

God always shine enough light to lighten our pathway, but it is up to us to understand and appreciate what is happening, and to respond in a manner that benefits our soul, and secure our future. "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." (Romans 1:21)

It is doubtful if any human being has ever entered and left this world without getting enough light, to enable a conscientious decision to be made, to acquire salvation. This truth is compelling when one considers that the Bible tells us, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

King Agrippa had enough light thrown on his pathway, when he was sitting in Judgement over the Apostle Paul, but he chose not to respond with due diligence, and instead prevaricate, "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." (Acts 26:28). All the available evidence shows that King Agrippa never acquired salvation.

A true story is told of a young man who came to Barbados for a holiday, and according to reports he had a fantastic time.

The fist week on holiday, just before Christmas 2014, he lost his wallet with everything he had in it; cash, credit cards, debit cards, ID, and the like. He went to the police station and reported the matter, and gave them all the relevent details.

A friend of his, a Barbadian woman, told him that her young niece lost her bag and it contained lots of things, and the matter was reported to the police.

The niece is a Christian, not yet ten years old, and she was truly sad that above all she had lost her Ipod. The niece prayed to God that she would get her Ipod back, and two weeks later the niece recovered her Ipod from someone who found it.

Being thus minded that God answers prayer, (even of little children) this man prayed to God that he would get his wallet back.

This man is not a Christian.

What do you think happened?

This man returned to the U.K in late January 2015 and went about his business as usual.

In late March 2015 this man got an email from an unknown Barbadian woman telling him that she found his wallet, gave him the details of her location, and telephone number, and asked him to arrange the collection.

The wallet was collected from the young lady's father and FedEx to the U.K. The man is now in possession of his wallet and is ever so happy.

This is a true story and I can vouch for its authenticity.

Because the man is my son and I was the one who collected the wallet and posted it to him.

How will this story continue, and how will it end?

Will I be able to write and inform readers that this powerful evidence of God's existence, and his timely answer to prayers, proved pivotal in converting a skeptical soul to salvation, or will I report that yet again, as happens so often with learned people, another opportunity has been lost?

So what is the conclusion of the whole matter?

Sinners and saints alike are treated by God in a just manner, so that when they appear before God, as Hebrews 9:27 tells us they shall, they are without excuse.

Each individual has the capacity to see and understand truth, to recognise the light and differentiate it from darkness, and to make an informed choice.

The light of truth, which is a blessing, can be turned into a curse and darken the understanding when it is not received with gratitude, and responded to with love, but rationalised, taken for granted, and made without effect by vain reasonings.

To the believer, the light is being shown constantly, to perfect, to mature and make us ready for the afterlife, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

To the unconverted, the light is an act of divine love to lead to salvation in Christ, and a blessed eternity, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)

God is still, in these modern, hapless times of darkness, shining the light on our pathway, to warn and rebuke, direct and inform, assist and encourage as we traverse this earthly life.

Whether that light makes a difference to us, and whether it will impact our future positively, will depend on one thing.

Our obedience.

Enough said.

Books by this author (non-fiction except indicated otherwise)

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Dr. Henderson Ward received his Doctor of Divinity in theology, with distinction, from Masters International School of Divinity, USA, where he is currently a post-doctoral fellow. Dr. Ward's career involved pastoring, evangelism, and teaching. Copyright 2017

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