Lighting the Road Ahead

I went to Bible Study over in Cirencester tonight which involves travelling about 9 miles on the A419 from Stroud. It is actually one of my favourite roads when it is daylight as, for a large part of the route, the beech trees from the woods on either side of the road almost meet creating a tunnel. In the spring the intense lime-green is a joy to behold and in the summer the trees form long cool tunnels dappling the road with shade. Even more spectacular is if you happen to travel that way on a crisp, frosty morning when a winter wonderland surrounds you, the bare branches dripping with sparkling gems. At night, however, the road takes on another aspect altogether being incredibly dark, winding and very eerie. There is also the added fear that a deer might suddenly take it into its head to leap in front of your car with unthinkable consequences to both you and itself.

When I left Cirencester it was just past 9pm and it was drizzling on and off. I joined the road back to Stroud and found I was the only vehicle travelling in either direction for a good 5-6 miles of that journey. I was conscious that I was clutching the steering wheel staring intently ahead and worrying myself that either the car would break down and leave me stranded by those dark, dark woods or a deer would leap out at any moment. As I put the lights on to main beam the road ahead was a tunnel of light and I felt God's guiding hand on me and the words 'God will protect you' came in to my head. I had the feeling of being cocooned and guided for the rest of that journey and, thankfully, the drizzle stopped so those illuminated yards ahead of me were sparklingly clear. It made me think that the lights of your car can be likened to your Christian walk with God  - when you follow His direction, pray and study your Bible you form a closer relationship with Him and you get a far greater understanding of His ways and what He wants you to do just like the how the road becomes beautifully clear and easy to see when you put the main beam on. When you dip your lights (or take your eyes away from Him, forget to pray and forget to study His Word) you might still be a Christian and there is still some light around you but the way becomes muddied and not so easy to find.

Light of Life

Even though it is well over a month since I saw that spectacular light when I was out walking the dogs I still get the same intensity of feeling when I think about it. I am filled with a sense of peace but then start bubbling with an almost uncontrollable joy and feeling of excitement. 

I am beginning to think that God is trying to show me something as there have been a few occasions lately when 'light' has been the thing to stand out (or should I say, shine) at me. On each of these occasions I have again, been filled with the same wonder and excitement as I experienced back in November.

Over the last year the Pastor of the chapel I go to has been preaching from the book of Revelation working through the seven churches and, during December, he came to the last of the churches, Laodicea, with that tremendous verse - 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he will Me." He went on to tell us about a painting by William Holman Hunt that he used to go and see whenever he got the chance and would stand there for hours gazing at it. It depicts this very verse of Scripture, although it is often more usually associated with John 8:12 Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have the light of life". Our Pastor has decided that this verse will be our motto for the year so, as I am the person who composes our newsletter, I decided to find a copy of the painting to post above the verse of Scripture. I was totally blow away by the radiant light that seem to shine out from the page and that same inner calm fills me every time I look at it.

For some time before 'I saw the Light'  I had not felt particularly close to God and was beginning to question my own salvation. Was I good enough for Him, was I a true Christian, was I really saved? My prayer time was suffering and had become virtually non existent and I seemed to be going in a downward spiral. Then came the light.

This morning I nearly wept for joy during the sermon. Our Pastor read from Isaiah 42 and it was verse 3 which hit me, "A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice." It was as if God was telling me that as long as I had a flicker of faith left in me He would not let me go.

The final 'light' reference (for the moment) came in one of the songs we sang during tonight's service:

The splendour of the king

Clothed in majesty

Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice

He wraps Himself in light

And darkness tries to hide

And trembles at His voice, and trembles at His voice.

The chorus really sums it all up - "How great is our God"!

Give God the Glory!

I was not looking forward to walking the dogs tonight as it had been raining all afternoon and it had been a particularly gloomy day - I was sure to get soaking wet and it would be pitch black up on the Common. However, whatever the weather, the dogs needed to be walked so I donned the waterproof coat, old trousers and walking shoes and set off in the car with them, windscreen wipers flicking away. As we drove up the hill the rain eased a little and had stopped by the time we reached the car park.

We set off across the Common and I was amazed to see the skyline - over the top of us was thick, black cloud but, in the direction we were headed, there was a band of light in a beautiful golden-pink. As we reached the edge of the Common the view out over the Severn valley was stunning with the glowing light reflected in the river below making it shine like silver. I tried to capture this sight on my phone but it, by no means, gives it justice and is a mere reflection of what I actually saw.

What I found so awesome was the purity of the band of light across the sky - it was so fresh and new and I was filled with such a sense of peace and calm. It could only be the work of our wonderful creator and I stood giving thanks to Him, feeling so blessed that He had given me this wonderful surprise. I had been expecting wet and dark but He gave me radiant light and inner calm. As I drove back down the hill I could not help but sing the words of that old hymn 'To God Be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done'. Thank you Lord!