Lighting Up the Darkness!

John MacKenzie, a 19th century missionary, prayed: “O Lord, send me to the darkest spot on earth!” and as so many others of his time, he was led to the nation of Africa where he ministered GOD’s Word faithfully. It wasn’t that long ago, that missionary organizations across America were sending out masses of missionaries to other nations. But, things have changed drastically. As we take a look at America, as the world looks at America, we all readily see America has somehow become one of the greatest mission fields on the planet.

Somehow America has traded in her brilliant Light for utter darkness. Somehow the nation that evangelized most every people group in the world, provided Bibles to these people groups in their own language, impacted every people group in the world with the message of salvation through Jesus Christ now stands deeply in need of the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke about this condition we find ourselves in today when He said: “The light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). America has chosen the evil of darkness over the beauty of the Light.

So, is there any hope for America today? I would say that as long as there is an America there is an opportunity for hope but how much longer can America survive? Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). Jesus continues to offer us the Light of life so we do not have to continue to walk around in the darkness. Each of us must recognize our individual responsibility to receive the Light of Christ into our lives and then we have an obligation to spread that Light to others.

Paul encourages the church to fulfill their mission with these words: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). So as we recognize the tremendous work done on our behalf through the cross of Christ, we must take that Light of life and spread it freely everywhere we go.