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Brooksyne Weber
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Friday, June
9, 2023
Interior
of Woodward
Cave
"Darkness
and Light"
Message
summary: It
is our prayer
that each of
us will always
let Jesus, the
Light of the
world, shine
through us!
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them" (Micah 3:6). “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12).
Wednesday afternoon we visited Woodward Cave in central Pennsylvania. This was the first time the Lapp children had been on a cave tour and for many years they have expressed an interest so I was pleased to find a cave relatively near their vacation spot.
It
was an older
cave but then
I suppose all
caves are old.
The guide
explained they
had opened the
cave for tours
and had run
the wire for
the lighting
in 1925 (wow)
and that
looked about
right (it
didn't look
very safe).
However we
made it out
alive and it
was an
interesting
tour as most
cave tours are
that we have
been on
before.
A
feature of
every cave
we've toured
is being deep
in the cave
when the tour
guide turns
the lights
out. In our
case Wednesday
the lights
were out for
only a few
seconds since
a little girl
who was
already
dealing with
fear was among
us. Had it not
been for that,
perhaps
Michelle, our
tour guide,
would have
left the
lights off for
a few minutes
to allow the
utter darkness
to really sink
in. If the
guide was a
rascal she
could have
even acted as
if the lights
would not come
back on but
most people
carry a phone
with a
flashlight so
we would have
managed to get
out OK.When
the light goes
out in a cave
there is
absolutely no
ambient light
as we are
accustomed to
when it gets
dark at night.
The darkness
in a cave is
pitch black
and utter
darkness. If
it were
allowed I
would have
liked to a
have a brief
devotional in
the cave with
the lights out
although I am
sure it
couldn't have
been short
enough!
Years
ago I was with
a group of men
and boys on a
retreat in the
mountains and
we rode our
bikes through
an abandoned
Pennsylvania
Turnpike
tunnel and we
had an unusual
devotional in
the middle of
the tunnel. We
turned off all
our lights and
the only
glimmer of
light you
could see were
the tiny,
faint outline
openings at
each end of
the
tunnel.
However it was
not as dark as
a cave!
Obviously I
had to share
from a
memorize verse
and I
highlighted
one of the
grand
teachings of
Jesus found in
our second
daily text, “I
am the light
of the world;
he who follows
Me will not
walk in the
darkness, but
will have the
Light of life”
(John 8:12).
Now it was an
adventure to
be in that
darkness for a
few minutes,
an adventure I
hope the men
and boys
especially
remember. But
I sure
wouldn’t want
to live in the
darkness! Yet
many do and
even get used
to it. Years
ago we had a
series of
messages on
spiritual
troglomorphism,
which is a
condition of
living in
darkness to a
point that
sight is
diminished or
even lost.
1 John 2:11
states “But
the one who
hates his
brother is in
the darkness
and walks in
the darkness,
and does not
know where he
is going because
the darkness
has blinded
his eyes.”
Persistent
darkness is
blinding and
so is the
darkness of
sin. Micah
rebuked the
false prophets
using this
theme, "Therefore
night will
come over you,
without
visions, and
darkness,
without
divination.
The sun will
set for the
prophets, and
the day will
go dark for
them" (Micah
3:6).
Matthew Henry
summarizes,
"They kept
others in the
dark, and now
God will bring
them into the
dark."
Rather
than living in
darkness our
Lord promises
an infinitely
better way to
live our lives
here on our
earthly
journey. “I
am the Light
of the world”
is one of the
seven “I am”
(Greek “ego
eimi”)
statements in
John’s gospel.
Many see these
statements as
an assertion
of Christ’s
deity based
upon the
encounter of
Moses at the
burning bush
when the Lord
spoke to him
identifying
Himself as, “I
am who I am”
(Exodus 3:14).“He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." Jesus offers this wonderful contrast to walking in darkness. It is the condition of the one who faithfully follows Jesus. May we all have a desire to live and walk in God’s light!
In the middle of the tunnel we concluded our devotional by turning on our flashlights and singing, “This Little Light Of Mine” before continuing our ride through the dark tunnel. As I rode behind several of the younger boys making their way out of the tunnel, it was a joy to hear them continuing to sing, “This Little Light Of Mine” as they rode along. It is our prayer that each of us will always let Jesus, the Light of the world, shine through us!
This
little light
of mine, I’m
gonna let it
shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine.
Be
encouraged
today, (Hebrews
3:13)
Daily
prayer:
Father, though
many of us
have sung
“This Little
light of Mine”
since we were
small children
we’ve often
done the
opposite of
what we’ve
sung. We’ve
shined our
light when
it’s safe to
do so where
others are
accepting of
who we are as
we walk in
step with You.
But we’ve also
“hidden it
under a
basket” in
settings where
it was an
unwelcome
sight. If we
are true
followers of
Christ we will
not waver by
concealing our
light since
the “Light of
Life” dwells
within us.
Your
indwelling
light shows us
the way in
this land
infiltrated
with darkness.
We choose to
walk in the
light of
Christ which
enables us to
recognize and
overcome the
evil tactics
of the prince
of darkness.
Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
Here
we are at the
entrance of
the Woodward
Cave prior to
our tour. You
can see we
were prepared
with our
jackets.
Yesterday
I went for a
bike ride with
Nick, who
recently
purchased an e
bike. We got
off the rail
trail and
visited the
Penn State
Agricultural
Research
Center.
The
Penn State
Agricultural
Research
Center has a
variety of
small, very
well-watered
display
gardens.
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In considering support we are so pleased when we hear from you, our readers, that our messages are a source of teaching and encouragement to you. We also urge you to consider the mission aspect of these daily teachings that are freely available and read by many all over the world.
To
donate
directly
online
click here.
(This will
open to a page
that
designates the
offering
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&
BROOKSYNE
WEBER -
700001-237376 SERVING
IN SPECIALIZED
CHAPLAINCY)
If
you desire you
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This will open
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"Brooksyne
Weber". We
keep this
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international
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and for those
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Thank
you,
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
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radioPermissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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