Our world is filled with darkness. The sin, murder, bloodshed, war, genocide, perversity….
Remember walking down Bourbon Street? Remember the way a tourist can look at it all as if it were a sideshow? To happy people from the suburbs, a walk down that street is like a walk through a zoo—danger may lurk on all sides, but it is no threat to visitors because of the cages.
But many who take an initial stroll later go back for a closer look. And you get closer and closer and closer…
You sample things, do a taste test. You try this sin and that until soon you find yourself LIVING on Bourbon Street. And THAT is a whole different thing. It’s no longer shiny and neon and fun and glamorous. Instead it is dark and painful and lonely, and chasing the initial fun or that first high is elusive. It’s all become a bait and switch—it promises good times but usually disappoints. That is darkness.
Darkness is broken dreams, broken hearts, broken homes. Instead of high times with champagne and beautiful people, it is lying on the sidewalk passed out in your own vomit. Darkness is beautiful women abused by drugs and a parade of selfish men. Darkness is men who once were confident and friendly but have shriveled into angry, selfish losers, unable to take care of anyone, even themselves. Darkness is entrepreneurs who run shady, half-legal businesses, cheating everyone but still in debt. Darkness is talented, productive people reduced to fearful, lazy takers. —And Jesus showed up in this world. That’s where He was born.
“The people who sat in darkness have seen a GREAT LIGHT. To those living in the Shadow of Death, a LIGHT has come” Matthew 4:16.
THAT is where Jesus showed up. Imagine the darkest, loneliest, most painful place–that is where the Messiah came.
He knows the darkness. He sees corruption, immorality, cheating, greed, violence, addictions, slavery, murder. He sees. He knows. And He is here, offering RESCUE. Just ask.
ΑΩ
Household Words: 