Light

I am the storyteller for my church's VBS this week. Yesterday, we went over the story of Moses, Pharaoh and the plagues. The kids got to play out the plagues. I made sure to recruit a guy with a big heart, willing to be tortured four times (as there were four classes). Sometimes the kids would act out being gnats or dying cows. Sometimes they threw things at him like hail (wads of paper) or attach something to him like boils (red stickers). Oh, boy, did the kids have a BLAST! Poor Pharaoh (hehe).
Well, it's been a long time since I've gone over Biblical stories as a child. Now, mostly, the adult classes focus on the New Testament or harder-to-understand Old Testament. I admit, I had to look off a cheat sheet to remember all the plagues and their order. I even forgot one existed: darkness. On the ninth try, God sent a plague of darkness over the Egyptians. But, like all the other plagues, he protected his people, the Israelites, and kept them in light.
I was fascinated with the idea of some people living in darkness literally while others lived in light because it seems so miraculous. Animals attacking is more natural, you could say, than complete darkness in some areas and not in others nearby (nearby is the key. I'm quite aware it's dark on the other side of the earth while light here).
Most scripture (if not all) in the Old Testament point to Christ, God's salvation for all. I believe this is one of those times. The New Testament is filled with verses about darkness verses light.

John 8:12  Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you have the light that leads to life."

Ephesians 5:8  For once you were full of darkness, but now you have the light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

Mathew 4:16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,a light has shined.

1 Thessalonians 5:5  For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.

God may not literally put us in light or darkness, but the concept is certainly real. We are to be God's people, the Israelites, and live in the light. You may ask how this can be since we are all mainly from Gentile descend. Faith is the answer. Galatians 3 tells us that it is by faith that we become the children of Abraham and receive the promise of God, which is everlasting life for those who believe in Christ Jesus.
Imagine life in darkness. Not being able to see to do things. Bumping into walls. Sounds like a painful, depressing life. So, let's let our light shine through the darkness so others might come to know Christ!!