Hope, Love, Light, & God

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

I’ve a story that took place that I’d like to share. It is a story of hope and inspiration that I chose to bring to this forum to shed light on the darkness in this world. To let others know that there is innate goodness in others. Yes, it still exists despite the overwhelming evidence of evil and darkness that is prolific in the news these days.

First of all -there are still miracles going on. Yes! God is still in the Miracle Business! Amen! There are still stories that are copiously unfolding as we speak/read- but are never quite making it to the media platforms, which seems to be reserved for “dark iniquitous activities.”

I would like to share this story today to show there are still feel-good stories, and people still coming to the “fold” and accepting their Shephard. This is the story of “Daniel and Sarah” – neither wanted to be interviewed. They thought it better that I tell the “story” as a “story” but tell the facts, which remain intact. I am not going to reveal where, when or the incidental specifics. But – the main point is to let the readers know, “don’t give up” the light will always consume the darkness.  Goodness will always overpower evil. And most importantly, Jesus reigns victorious!  He is victorious overall. Amen!  So now here is the story of events as it happened.

Enjoy and praise God!

The sun was setting over the city, casting long shadows on the streets. Daniel was walking home from work, feeling tired and anxious. He had a lot of problems on his mind: his rent was overdue, his boss was angry with him, his girlfriend had left him, and his health was deteriorating. He felt like he had no hope, no purpose, no joy in his life, he was miserable.

As he passed by a side alley, he heard a scream. He looked in the direction of the scream and saw a tall man holding a knife to a woman’s throat, yelling for her money and jewelry. Daniel felt a surge of fear and anger at once. He wanted to help the woman, but he also wanted to avoid trouble. He hesitated, wondering what to do.

Then he immediately remembered a verse from the Bible that he had learned as a child: “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) He felt a conviction in his heart that he should act. He quickly grabbed a nearby trash can lid and threw it at the robber, hitting him in the head. The robber dropped the knife and ran away, cursing. The woman thanked Daniel profusely and hugged him. She told him that her name was Sarah and that she was a Christian and believed that God sent him to protect her. She felt it was a miracle from the LORD, that He intervened by using Daniel as His vessel. After sharing her belief and convictions. She invited him to come with her to her church, where she said he would find everything he was looking for in life. Especially love, peace, and hope.

Daniel wanted to say no. But something in him was so strong, so he agreed to go with her, feeling curious and grateful. He had not been to a church in a decade, and he had forgotten what it was like to believe in God. He wondered if God still cared about him, or if he had gone too far into the darkness to ever step into the light again. He felt he was useless and there was no hope for him at all. Still, he wanted to try, all of a sudden, he felt such a polarizing urge to get to church anxious to see if God would help him.

As they entered the church, they were greeted by the friendly Pastor, who welcomed Daniel and introduced him to the congregation. Daniel felt a warmth and a light that he had not felt in a long time. He listened to the Pastor’s message, which was about the contrast between darkness and light.

The pastor spoke a long time from John 3:19-21 -that got to Daniel’s soul. It spoke directly to his heart. He explained it connected him directly to the LORD and he felt tears rolling down his cheeks. And a placid calmness poured over his entire being.

The pastor explained that the world was full of evil and darkness, but that God had sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to be the light of the world. He said that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

He said that God loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die for our sins, (John 3:16) and that if we confess our sins and repent, He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The Pastor then said that God wants us to walk in the light, as He is in the light, and to have fellowship with Him and with one another. He said that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives, and that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Daniel felt another tug in his heart. He realized that he had been living in the darkness, and that he needed the light. He realized that he had been running away from God, and that he needed to come back to Him. He realized that he had been hopeless, and that he needed to have faith. He realized that he had been lonely, and that he needed to have love. He realized that he was miserable, and he needed God’s joy.

He decided to respond to the Pastor’s invitation to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He raised his hand and prayed along with the Pastor, confessing his sins and asking for forgiveness. He felt a burden lifted from his shoulders, and a joy filled his soul. He felt a new life begin in him, and a new hope for the future.

He looked at Sarah, who was smiling and crying at the same time. She hugged him again and congratulated him. She told him that she was so happy for him, and that she would be his friend and help him grow in his faith. She told him that he had just made the best decision of his life, and that God had a wonderful plan for him.

Daniel smiled and thanked her. He thanked God for saving him, and for sending Sarah to him. He thanked God for His grace and His love. He thanked God for His light.

He realized that he had just experienced a miracle, and that he had just witnessed the power of God. He realized that he had just overcome evil with good, and that he had just come back into the light. Leaving the darkness behind him, where it belonged.

Daniel and Sarah have a beautiful friendship that recently blossomed into love. I know all of you reading this will wish them well in all future endeavors, and that their journey will always be with God in the center of their relationship, and marriage going forward all the days of their lives.

Please know that there is always hope and light and love and joy in this world no matter what!  Keep thoughts of the LORD and good things, today and always. We have a King watching over us and a path that although narrow, we all can walk upon, it’s our choice.

Wide road? Narrow road? Which will you choose, and what will you focus on today? 

“Father my LORD, may I be ever thankful today and always for Your guidance, may I present to You a heart that longs for You alone, and may I follow in Your Word, Your Light, and Your ways, and seek You in all I do, in Jesus name, Amen.”