This is a story written by my Earthly father, Randy M Gardner. My Dad is a Christian father to me and my two sisters, a husband of almost 50 years, 40+ years minister in the Lord’s Church, a teacher, artist, author, musician, craftsman, boat builder, and renaissance man.

I’m just as proud to be the son of Sharon, a beautiful Christian mother of three, grandmother of twelve, or is it thirteen? I have to check and see if my sister has had another baby since I began this blog 😉 my Mom is an uber-talented speaker, teacher, minister’s wife, homemaker, incredible cook, counselor, writer, friend, and the best MOTHER to ever walk on God’s green Earth!

I’m incredibly proud to be their son!

Being blessed with Godly parents like mine, I thank God constantly for what I’ve been given, knowing that I owe everything to our Heavenly Father, my life, my soul, my family, and my salvation. Thank you, God.

ElGardner

---

---

INTO THE DARKNESS

By Randy M Gardner

Sharon and I stayed in our camper at the campground in Voluntown, Connecticut, and the night was incredibly dark.

As I stepped outside, I said I would walk up to the machine to get a water bottle, so Sharon handed me the lantern.

I’m no sissy about the dark, but the unlit, winding dirt roads were uneven, and I was grateful for a bit of light on which I was traveling.

As I began my long walk, the circle of light cast by my lantern, immediately brought scripture to mind, as it might most Christians.

“Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalms 119:105 is an most obvious one.

Walking through the woods, there was no other light, and my lantern did little to get beyond the circle around me, but I could see the path.

I had been out earlier with the dog and no lantern and got lost, off in the woods without realizing it!

On the way back from getting my water, I stopped at the end of the pond and switched off my light to enjoy the two lonely bullfrogs.

They took turns sending their occasional bass notes resonating into the night air.

But I noticed something else, as I stood there.

My eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, and I began to “see” again.

But he who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1 John 2:11 RSV

As an experiment, I decided to walk the rest of the way in darkness.

That’s when it dawned on me, this is what people in the world do all the time!

Many people, even Christians unfortunately, grow accustomed to being in darkness, which becomes comfortable for them. The comfort is a lie, from the father of lies.

Satan’s greatest trick is to convince people that He doesn’t exist!

Yet, he’s there, all along, since the Garden of Eden, hiding in the shadows, lurking in the darkness, prowling like a furious lion, waiting to devour His prey!

---

Another thing I noticed was that the lantern became nothing more than a burden to me.

It was still with me, but I wasn’t using it, so I began to feel its weight. (It has two of those big block-type batteries in the base of it; hence it was a heavy lantern)

The implication my situation became obvious to me.

• When Christians switch off their light, it is easy to grow accustomed to the darkness around them, even becoming “comfortable” with the darkness. (This is a frightening thought!)

• Once Christians switch off their light, it becomes nothing more than a burden.
• This burden of guilt is the painful knowledge of knowing what they ought to be doing.
• Instead, they cast aside their Lord and Savior, the Creator of the Universe, turning away to the cold embrace of the dark Prince of this World!

---

The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.

Proverbs 20:27 RSV

---

Consider the following verses, take note of this wisdom from the inspired Word of God:

If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; BUT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:6‭-‬7 RSV

I don’t believe any of us want to go to eternal darkness and torment!

But we are well on our way if we switch off the Light and become accustomed to the constantly creeping darkness of this temporal realm.

---

For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment…

2 Peter 2:4 ASV

---

---

Our Lord Jesus is the Light!

God IS Light! In Him, there is no darkness!

---

---

---