Walking Through The Darkness.
Many, many years ago I did a training course. It was a compulsory training course for anyone who wanted to go and work on oil rigs and in the offshore environment and one part of the training course was to do with firefighting and evacuation. We were trained to put on a similar protective uniform that firemen would wear – jacket, hood, trouser, gloves, headgear and breathing apparatus. We were also instructed how to put in the breathing masks so that we could move through a smoke filled chamber and find our way out.
We all did this part of the course. We were to make our way through a fully enclosed maze that was filled with smoke and once it filled up with smoke our vision went down to zero. We couldn’t see a single thing in front of us. And we had to manoeuvre our way through this maze using the techniques we were taught and get out the other side.
But the safety factor came into play when some firemen were closely following us through the maze using some thermal cameras. They could clearly see us the whole time but we couldn’t see any sign of them at all. We were all ok so long as we followed the advice and training we were given before the exercise.
Some things that I remember most from it all were the feeling of freshness once we got through the maze and out into the daylight again and took off our breathing masks. The fright when I looked down at my air bottle and saw that there was only a couple of minutes of air left and that the needle was in the red zone. And then the came relief when we looked behind us and saw the fire crew walking out behind us smiling. I’ve never forgot those experiences on that course.
It has occasionally occurred to me that these experiences are similar to fearful times in my Christian life.
There were times when I couldn’t see what was ahead of me. I didn’t know what my life was going to be like between laying down to sleep and waking the next morning. I was just socially and spiritually totally in the darkness of doubt and fear. I was stumbling from experience to experience. And I made an awful lot of mistakes.
But now, many years later, that I have came through it all I can breath the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine. And I can look around and remember that, although I couldn’t see or feel anything, someone was following me closely the whole time. Someday I’ll be able to turn around and see His smiling face.
The power of the internet has allowed me to look at the statistics relating to my posts. And although I can’t see anyone names or contact details, I can see which countries that my posts are being read in. Some of my posts have been read in Russia, in Iran, Ukraine and Israel. And I thank God for the fact that people are able to read of my little thoughts, notions and musings. I really do hope that something I have said will help someone somewhere. And that no matter which country you are in, somewhere in the darkness you may find a little comfort knowing that Jesus is never really far away.
Our Bible gives us some basic advice for when we are going through dark and difficult times.
In 1st Thessalonians we read….
ch1 v3 REMEMBER without ceasing
ch2 v13 THANK GOD without ceasing
ch5 v17 PRAY without ceasing.
This is very good advice for us all.
Remember - Thank God - Pray. Because sometimes, when we have nowhere left to
turn, these three things are the only things that we to build on.
My life, my friends, my soul, I leave
entirely to Your care.
My times are in Your hand.
Jesus, the Crucified;
those hands my cruel sins had pierced
are now my guard and guide.
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