Walking in Darkness

When was the last time you experienced total darkness?  I am talking about darkness so complete that it seems more present than your own hand.  It is darker than having your eyes closed.  I have been told that the only place total darkness occurs in a physical sense is below the earth in a cave with no opening. 

It would be unsettling enough to have to sit in darkness waiting for something to happen (hopefully for some light to appear) Can you imagine what it would be like to walk in that environment?  How could you navigate?  How would you react to obstructions on your path or the sudden sensation of feeling something brushing past you? 

The fact that we never really encounter total darkness may hinder our ability to appreciate the depth of yearning we have for the light of Christ.  Take a few moments to envision yourself in total darkness.  What is it like?

Reflection:  

We are not often forced to walk in darkness.  Even if there is a regional power outage that lasts for weeks, most people can find some light source -- a flashlight, a generator, even our cell phones have flashlight "apps".  We can be equipped to keep moving without pausing to listen.  We can move freely.  We don't need to reach out to find our next step.  

This capacity obviously has practical advantages.  Yet is obstructs our understanding of what it is to be a person walking in darkness.  We can't embrace the miracle of God's Light unless we set aside whatever other light source we would use to ease our  discomfort.  Self reliance diminishes our awareness of the mysterious way that God en-lightens us, helping us regain our bearings as we walk through whatever darkness we are experiencing.  

When we are in total darkness we can get our bearings by listening more intently for God's Word, reaching out in all directions to grasp God's hand and stepping patiently rather than striding out in our accustomed pace.