When we take our eyes away from God, we become enveloped in darkness. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 1 John 1:5-7. When we turn away from God, His love is muffled and distorted and there is confusion. What is right/what is wrong; what is love/what is hate. And what happened to Israel by choosing to look away from God? The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’” Judges 2:1-3.

This new generation living in the land promised by God to Abraham’s descendants, forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. v. 12. They forsook the Lord, but He didn’t forsake them. Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. v. 16. God never stopped loving them because God is faithful.

In God there is no darkness at all and His light dispels the darkness completely and reveals His love. Do we even know that we are stumbling about in darkness? Did Israel understand? Do we? Can we doubt God’s love for us and for others and not stumble in darkness? The darkness obscures; the darkness muffles the truth of God’s love but cannot overcome His love; and the light of the truth of His healing love begins its work in our hearts and minds. God’s love remains the constant because God is Love. When you turn your heart and look to Him, He’s here and His love opens wide the light that guides you to Him. His love heals the pain of hate.

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 24-25.

Last night in bed praying, I thought about how none of us really know what will happen after we die…not the particulars. Will we be surprised? Will we be shocked to see others we judged to be unworthy? What about those whose crimes are so heinous they are crimes against humanity? Will Jesus call our name as He did for Lazarus (John 11:38)? I don’t know the particulars. I do know God. I know He is love and mercy. He has shown that over and over and over again. Are we merciful?