Light in the Darkness

It was well past sundown on the road from Lagos to Ilorin Nigeria. It is very dark on country roads in West Africa.  I had been sick for two days and was sitting in the back seat praying that the four hour trip would help me be ready for the emerging leaders conference the next day. It had been a busy day and we missed the bus so we had to hire a car with a Muslim driver for the trip. 

The two Nigerian leaders with me were discussing details of the conference and what the Lord was doing in the area. As I sat listening I noticed the Muslim driver was listening to all they were saying. Finally, he spoke and said "I used to be a Christian and I would like to be again."

The man in the front asked, "Why did you become a Muslim?" His story was that he was married and had a child when he lost his job. He had searched for another one, but became desperate. A Muslim man approached and said" If you become a Muslim, I will give you a job and a place to live." This is a common practice among Muslims. They offer money, security, and even education for the children for conversion.  Conversion comes with the typical bondage of Islam as a slave to their god. His Christian Faith had not been strong enough to overcome the darkness of his situation so he had given into accepting Islam as a possible way out. But, in his heart he longed to be restored to the Lord.

My friend replied, "You can change that now, but we have nothing to offer you, but Jesus." The driver said "That is ok, I can't live like this any longer." He stopped the car in the middle of nowhere in the pitch dark of night, and. committed his life to Jesus. He told my friends that, when he told his boss that he had given his life to Jesus, he would lose everything. 

Sure enough, at 7:00 am the next morning, the man, his wife and child stood at the door of our room.  My friend had been a pastor in Ilorin for many years and knew of a large church that was made up of Muslim background believers. The pastor welcomed the driver and his family in and gave him an instant community of those who had walked a similar journey.

 He is the God who sees (Gen.16:13) Darkness is as light to him. God heard the cry of the driver's heart and saw him in the darkness.  Like the father restored the prodigal son, the Lord welcomed the driver and his family back. 

If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me,
And the night will be the only light around me,”
12 
Even the darkness is not dark to You and conceals nothing from You,
But the night shines as bright as the day;
Darkness and light are alike to You.

Ps 139:11,12-Amp

Darkness is all around us and evil seems to be coming at believers from every direction. But the Lord sees us through all of that for darkness is as light to him.  

Do you see yourself as the driver did.  Trapped in a darkness that initially seemed good but ended up in bondage. The Lord will hear you if you call out to him.  We are in a spiritual war like no time in history and He is bringing back those who have tasted the light and life of the Lord and calling those who have not heard the Gospel, but have been trapped in darkness. 

Where are you? Are you a warrior for the Kingdom? Do feel like your are living in a dark place.  Call on him and he will hear.  Jeremiah 33:3 God is faithful and desires to make you strong and victorious in your struggle.

Check our my devotional "Fearlessly Devoted", Ken Shirkey, Old Path Publishing.  It is available from Barnes and Noble and Amazon

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