July 18, 2024
"They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings."
- Exodus 10:23
In yesterday’s devotional we explored the impact of darkness on a person’s sense of sight and purpose. Today, let us explore another dimension of this, still based on the experience of the Egyptians when they were struck by the ninth plague of darkness.
When we say, “someone is in the dark” (on something), that person does not know what is going on, they do not know what to do. And this was the case with the Egyptians! They were in the dark and did not know what was going on, they did not know what to do as there was no going out or coming in for three days.
When we find ourselves not knowing what to do about an issue, we are sitting in the dark regarding that issue, and we need God’s intervention. When we come across situations that we do not know what to do or we do not know what’s going on, let us ask God to open the eyes of our understanding.
Ephesians 1:18 (AMP) “And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit]”.
Movement is affected when there is darkness. No one in Egypt could “rise from his place” because of the darkness. When movement is attempted in darkness, the risk of collision or damage is very high! It is difficult if not impossible to be productive or to make good decisions without God’s light illuminating the environment.
Isaiah 59:10 says, “We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes; we stumble at noonday as at twilight; we are as dead men in desolate places”.
When major life decisions—like undertaking an academic or professional pursuit, committing funds/savings to an investment, relocating to a different country, getting engaged or married and so on—are made without God’s light (i.e. in darkness), things can go terribly wrong.
Therefore, we should cry out to God according to Psalm 107:13-14 “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke their chains in pieces”.
Commit your ways today and every day to God, seeking His light regarding what to do. May the light of God deliver us from every type of darkness, and may He lighten our eyes so that you know what is going on, and so you know what to do in every situation in Jesus' name.
Song of Worship
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path
Thy Word. Song by Amy Grant
Prayer - Father, shine your light upon every form of darkness stopping me from moving in the right direction or causing me to stumble. According to your word in Psalm 107, bring me out of darkness and the shadow of death and break every chain of darkness into pieces in Jesus name, Amen.
Bible in 1 year: Psalms 23-25; Acts 21