The eye is the lamp of the body. [. . . ] If your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22a-23 (NIV)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Most carnivals and theme parks feature a “Tunnel of Terror”. It is a dark place with frightening monsters, and oversized tarantulas that suddenly drop down or pop up right in front of a person. People pay money for the adrenalin rush of confronting pretend ghosts and monsters. It’s altogether different, though, if we find ourselves alone in the woods at night without a flashlight. And it’s even worse to be walking down an unlit alley in the middle of a big city. The slightest sound gnaws at our nerves, sets us on edge, and makes our survival instincts kick in.
The darkness of evil is similar to both of these experiences. Because we have a sinful nature, evil often attracts us like a carnival ride. We lie to get out of trouble. We might experiment with alcohol or marijuana just to see what it’s like. We might get an adrenalin rush by shoplifting at the mall or sneaking out at night to be with friends. These situations are similar to going through a “Tunnel of Terror”. They are scary, but the consequences are not necessarily permanent.
The reality of evil, though, is much closer to walking through unknown, potentially dangerous, territory in the dark. Just as we could fall into a ditch and break a leg in the woods, we can suffer severe spiritual injury by walking in spiritual darkness. In fact, spiritual darkness holds the threat of the ultimate evil, eternal separation from God in hell.
Once we realize how perilous it is to walk in darkness, we know we need a rescuer. Just as the arrival of a police car with its headlights beaming would drive away our terror in that dark alley, God sent His Son, Jesus, to free us from the darkness and terror of sin, evil, and hell. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to be the Light of the world. Amen.
Biography of Author:
Ashraf Fekry is a 20-year-old student in dental college. He lives in Cairo and has a special interest in computers, particularly with Photoshop software.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.
Today's Bible Readings: Nehemiah 10-11 Revelation 19
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