DEVOTIONAL: Then Jesus

It was a dark and spooky night…

I’m a visual person. I like to see things in front of me and I like to have little notes or signs to remind me of things. On my desk, I like to have pot-it notes and little signs to remind me of things and encourage me. One of my favourite reminders that I have is this little sign that sits right under my screen.

The sign reads: It was a dark and spooky night….then Jesus. The end.

This sign was an impulse buy when I was in a store; I picked it up, read it, burst out laughing and decided that was a good enough reason to buy it. It now sits directly under my monitor and while it still makes me smile (I mean, dark and spooky night is just the best!), it also serves as a visual reminder for me that when Jesus enters the picture, the darkness and fear disappears.

It was a dark and spooky night.

Dark times will affect all of us at some point. Some of us find ourselves in dark seasons where everything is hard and painful. Some of us find ourselves in a literal dark and spooky night where fear of what may be is overwhelming. Sometimes it is physical, and sometimes it is spiritual. We have a very real enemy that seeks to bring fear and destruction, something that the bible wants us about in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” The unseen can be a whole lot scarier than the seen, but we have One that is stronger than any force, Jesus.

Then Jesus.

When Jesus enters, the darkness dissipates. There is no force that can hold Him back or hold Him down. No matter how dark the night may be, whether it be dark physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally, when Jesus enters, the darkness holds no power anymore. Spiritual forces hold no power anymore. In James 2:19 (NKJV), the bible tells us that, “…Even the demons believe—and tremble!” Even the demons know of Jesus and tremble in fear at His name.

But Jesus’s power extends to the physical, too. The bible is full of stories of God intervening in physical matters at just the right time. This doesn’t always happen; we all know this. We don’t always understand it, but I deeply and truly believe that God can still turn things around and prevent horrible things from happening. Because the One who raised Jesus from the dead (Matthew 28:5-7) is the same One who raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44). He is the same One who made heaven and earth and everything in it (Genesis 1).

And His Spirit lives in us today.

He is with us.

We don’t worship a dormant or dead god. We worship the Living God. Romans 8:11 (NLT) tells us that, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you…” We have the Holy Spirit with us, leading and guiding us. There is no where that the Holy Spirit won’t go with you. In Psalm 139:7-12, King David declares the following:

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”

Where can I flee from your presence? No where. There is not a single place in the universe that God can’t reach. How incredible is our God! How comforting to know that the God we serve, and worship is unmatched in power and might.

The end.

Life is life, with its ups and downs. But then Jesus. No matter what life throws at us, when Jesus enters, everything changes. He brings life and hope and peace in abundance. And He offers it freely to us all. We can’t earn it or buy it or trade something for it. It is a gift freely given by the most tender and sovereign and loving God, and it is a gift that comes with unconditional love and incredible grace. We just need to accept it.

When has Jesus entered your circumstances and changed everything?

P.S. If you don’t know Jesus, or you don’t know how to receive His love and grace, reach out as I’d love to share with you how you can receive His love and salvation.