Let There be Light

1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

I am writing this on Thursday morning after today’s post has been sent because God wouldn’t let me walk away from the computer. My ‘post breakfast’ cup of coffee by my side, I will obey and write whatever the Lord leads me to say.

Thursday is trash day here at Hacienda Hill. I have been developing a habit of cleaning out the fridge either Wednesday night or Thursday morning so anything questionable can go. This morning, I was determined to clean it out because something was decidedly nasty and I could not see what it was. Oh, I had halfheartedly moved things around but the smelly offender eluded me. This morning, after the blog, I determined to locate and eradicate! As I unloaded the fridge I caught sight of a potential culprit, left-over sardines…P-U!!! Apparently one should not have left-over sardines…lesson learned. Then it came…the Holy Tap!

We, fellow Humans, have a lot in common with left-over sardines…our thoughts and deeds can stink! Oh, we think we can hide them in dark recesses of our minds and secrets but eventually the stink cannot be denied or hidden or ignored. John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should abide in darkness.

We live in darkness when we lie, cover-up and deny that we are nothing more than left-over sardines without the cleansing, restoring power and redemption of Jesus Christ. He knows our hearts; we cannot hide anything from Him no matter how long we wade in the sewer of darkness and sin. John 1:9 There it was--the true Light was coming into the world that illumines every person.

My memory certainly isn’t what it used to be and I don’t want to leave any unconfessed sin on the table so I try to dispose of it by confessing as soon as I realize it. Yep, this means I am daily confessing on a regular basis… hourly sometimes and/or as often as needed. Best prescription for Christian living I can think of sharing. John 12:35 Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

Let me clarify here, I do not use confession as a means to live any way I want. If I am to live in the ‘light’ that is Christ, I cannot walk in the darkness of sin and toss up a brief confession and think that is sufficient, returning to my sin as I please. Light and Darkness cannot exist in the same space. My heart cannot be separated into a Light section and a Dark section. This isn’t Kentucky Fried Chicken and you can’t get a mixed bucket.  Ephesians 5:8-10 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

So, Friends, 1 Thessalonians 5:5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So, let us strive together ‘to locate and eradicate’ all the stinky left-over sardines of sin and darkness in our hearts and lives.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.