Darkness...

Since we purchased our new van, a Toyota Sienna, about a year ago, our eldest has been using our old van, the maroon Villager, to drive to and from school. (I know. It’s only three blocks and you had to walk three miles to school, uphill both ways in the cold when you were a kid. I did to – with a heavy trombone case and an armload of textbooks. I’m just telling you the facts about the vehicle’s general use, not commenting on the wisdom of the decision to allow such use.)

So somewhere along the line, it was decided that this to-school-and-back transport needed a name. Don’t know why or when for sure. Just know that the poor, old thing was christened Ichabod.

Had nothing to do with a certain fellow with the surname Crane from Sleepy Hollow. It was the name Eli’s daughter-in-law gave her newborn son when she heard of her husband’s and father-in-law’s untimely deaths and the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines. (1 Samuel 4:21) In Hebrew, the name means, “The glory has departed.”

I’m telling you, it’s an apt moniker for this minivan. The glory has definitely departed after 246,000+ miles. About the only things that work perfectly are the radio tuner and cassette tape player. Everything else has gone to pot.

If the driver’s side door isn’t slammed sharply into place, it remains open slightly, about a half inch, and the open door warning indicator lights up. The seals around the windows on both front doors do not stay in place, allowing the howl of the wind to fill the cabin on blustery days. The high beam headlights, with their yellowed plastic lenses, insufficiently light up the highway on dark nights, making driving a bit scary. The bothersome rattles and loud creaks that we were accustomed to before we started driving the Toyota regularly are quite annoying now. The upholstery is spotted with years-old pop and food stains, in places it has frayed, small holes keep appearing. And last, but not least, the dome light switch on the doors has given up the ghost so you can’t see a thing when you open the door at night.

It’s this last quirk that bugs me the most. Almost everything I carry with me when I drive Ichabod is black. I have a black emergency radio, a black datebook, a black camera bag, a black cell phone. With no bright overhead lights it’s nearly impossible to find these things when I pull into the driveway on a starless night. Fishing around I can usually locate my stuff, but it takes some time and I’m never 100% sure I’ve recovered everything. I have taken to using the map lights, but they’re pretty dim and not as much help as you might think.

I have, I must confess, growled at Ichabod a time or two. Poor thing. Did I mention that the van’s radio tuner and tape player work?

You know, having trouble locating a black camera case isn’t the worst difficulty I’ve encountered while in the dark. I’ve experienced pain and fear when the lights go out. I’ll bet you have too.

Nearly all of us have been afraid in the blackness of night at least once in our lives. And I’ll bet there isn’t a person reading this who hasn’t stubbed their toe on a table leg or a doorjamb after midnight. Ouch!

Can you imagine living in perpetual darkness? Not me. I like the light.

There are people in this world who live in total darkness day in and day out. They’re always fishing around for things, though they aren’t sure exactly what those things are. They’re often afraid and in pain. Their frustration is incredible.

Here’s what Jesus said about these folks.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” (John 3:19-20, NIV)

Does that describe anyone you know? “I’m not giving my life to Jesus. I’d have to give up my evil friends. I couldn’t have any evil fun. I’m not ready. Maybe later.”

A young ruler with a love-of-darkness problem came to Jesus with a question one day. He asked, sincerely enough I suppose, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”

“Which ones?” the man inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

“When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” (Matthew 19:16-22, NIV)

The love of the darkness of greed kept this man from following Jesus. The love of other kinds of darkness keeps others – your friends – from following. Is the love of some kind of evil causing you to keep the world’s only savior at arm’s length?

It’s time to leave the darkness and come into the light. Believe on Jesus. Follow him.

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