Ambushed and a lesson I learned about light

This weekend (for Canadian Thanksgiving) we got to go away for 3 whole nights to the Island of Galiano. It's beautiful there. We stayed at my in-law's cabin. It's right on the ocean. I had an interesting thing happen to me when I was there. On Sunday I was late to leave the cabin to go to church. Everyone else has left and walked down. I was about 10 minutes behind them. I left the cabin and was walking down a path that leads along the ocean for a few minutes. It's beautiful and refreshes the soul like nothing else. I had about a 10 minute walk (if that).

Now in my life there is rarely a time when I am outside just walking by myself in an area where I am unlikely to run into people (or bears and cougars...this island has neither :) yeah for Galiano) AND along the ocean. In fact I cannot remember the last time I took that luxury. On a side note, I am a person who needs moments of solitude. And yet in this season of my life I rarely have time to just soak in creation and quite my soul and listen. BUT this was an unlooked for opportunity for just that.

Anyway, back to my story. As I was walking it's like God just ambushed me. It was like He saw that I was alone and dropped everything to take those precious few moments with me. I know for someone reading this who does not believe in God this sounds weird. But I'm telling you it was amazing. You know when you love someone passionately you just love every second with them and will drop whatever you are doing to take whatever time they have? Well God did that with me that morning. He just started talking to me. I slowed down and listened intently. I cherished the moment. It was like He hadn't had time with me, like this, lately and He had so much to tell me. It just poured out. I was fascinated. I felt deeply and totally loved. Something that I have come to understand in my head (yet again sometimes the journey from my brain to my heart takes awhile) is that God loves me passionately. He sings over us...did you know that? Zephaniah 3:17 (it's one of those books in the Bible rarely mentioned :)) "The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." There are many more things said like that in the Bible all throughout. It's a strange thought to me but one I am mulling through. Makes me wonder what else He thinks of me.

The other experience that was noteworthy to me (in the parable sense of the word)...we went to another cabin's place for Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday evening and had a delightful time meeting some fabulous people. They were so warm and welcoming. The only people we walked in knowing were Shaun's dad and mom and we walked out having met some amazing people and having had some great conversations. Anyway, we left first because the girls needed to get to bed and we had to pack because we had to catch an 8:25 am ferry which means that we had to be there 40 minutes before that to get our reservation honoured, it was a 30 minute drive and we needed to load the car...you get the picture...it was an early morning :). So Shaun, the girls, and I set out from this house for a 5 minute walk to the cabin we were staying at. It was pitch dark. We were in the country and so it was difficult to see our hands in front of our faces. It was an interesting challenge with 2 small children. There was no moon to speak of. Not sure why we didn't think to bring a flashlight...but there you go. Anyway, we walked down this road and tried to stay in the middle where the grass was (not a paved road obviously). We did this by trying to decipher what was grass, with shoes on, as we were walking blindly along. I really enjoyed it...we saw a million stars through the trees. But those stars, while they were beautiful, did nothing to light our path. So we shuffled along for awhile and we could tell we were on the right path...then we came to a cabin that had a porch light on. What a difference one little light makes in complete darkness. I immediately set to thinking about what the Bible says about light and darkness...
Matthew 5:14-16 says this "You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven".

Ephesians 5:7-10 says "Don't let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don't even hang around people like that."
You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it."
Those are just two passages. The Bible says A LOT about light and darkness. If you type in those 2 words together at http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/ There's a lot there. It's fascinating. I learned a great lesson by stumbling around in the dark that night. Literally and spiritually I need light for life. And what a difference one little light makes to a whole area of deep darkness.
And that was just one 12 hour stretch...never dull I tell ya!
I will leave you with something a king said about the word of God:
"Oh, how I love all you've revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long. Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete. I've even become smarter than my teachers since I've pondered and absorbed your counsel. I've become wiser than the wise old sages simply by doing what you tell me. I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil so I can spend all my time keeping your Word. I never make detours from the route you laid out; you gave me such good directions. Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking. With your instruction, I understand life; that's why I hate false propaganda.
By your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. I've committed myself and I'll never turn back from living by your righteous order. Everything's falling apart on me, God; put me together again with your Word. Festoon me with your finest sayings, God; teach me your holy rules. My life is as close as my own hands, but I don't forget what you have revealed. The wicked do their best to throw me off track, but I don't swerve an inch from your course. I inherited your book on living; it's mine forever—what a gift! And how happy it makes me! I concentrate on doing exactly what you say— I always have and always will." Psalms 119:97-112

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path"...the words above are the context for that...:)
on the path,
Tama