Pushing Back the Darkness and Letting the Light In

Welcome to this episode of Returning to Joy. This week is both an encouragement and a challenge to not only let in the light of Jesus in your life but to also bring forth that light to the darkest places. It is not only about the decision to receive the light but also a participation that God invites us into, to bring that light into the darkness of the world around us. 

You will hear about several impactful moments from Gabrielle's sabbatical, and the truth that the Lord put on her heart about the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness that does not overcome it. 

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Transcript

6:42:41

Hey what's up Beloved's? I'm, of course, so glad to be with you. And in this series, we've been talking about Sabbath stories embracing rest and a restless world, this recording is loosely going to fit into that theme. As you know, I went on a month long sabbatical back in July. And there is this theme around light that got exposed to me, well, while I was on sabbatical, so I'm going to find a way to fit in what I'm wanting to talk about, within this realm of Sabbath stories, or this theme of Sabbath stories, but bear with me, I know it's a it's a loose fit in loose fitting, but still deeply encouraging, and still something that came as as a as a revelation and as hope and encouragement to me. And so I'm passing that on to you, okay. So, I have to backtrack before actually July. And I gotta go back to maybe February. Back in February, I had the pleasure of going to this retreat center called Lady Lodge, because of an organization that I was doing work for, they wanted me to experience this retreat center that they had, so I went to it. And there was a singer songwriter that was there as the resident artist for us. I had never heard of him before. His name was John Guetta. And I will never forget him now. But on maybe the first or second night, John began to describe a song that he had not yet released. But he felt it was like this Sonic prayer. And it came from the turmoil of walking through, man, I guess, you can probably go back to 2016, you can go back and even even further and into 2020. You can edit that sherry. So maybe on the first or second night, I'm introduced to John Guetta, because he begins to sing for us and invite us into a space of worship with him. And I had never heard of him before. This was my first time hearing of him or meeting him and I will not forget him now. But this before this one particular song, he describes it as a sonic prayer, if you will, inspired by some of the pain that him and his family were walking through, but also the pain that they were seeing in the world in the political climate, racism, injustice, poverty, things that are going on with immigration, there was this deep cry in his heart going, God. You know, we need you, and would you let a little light in? So he begins to sing this song for us called let a little light in. And I want to read for you just the first verse, by which it begins. It says, I am blind. I am caught. All I see. Is all of your not none have sinned, to dues it to do to. I am blind. I am caught. All I see is all you're not none have sinned to deserve this work of God. Now begin goes into this prayerful please let a little light in. My heart is in a panic. God led a little light in this panic induced by darkness. It ends up ending with this incredible bridge that is this you can tell it was this encouragement to his soul. He's choosing this of believing, surely I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. And we know where that comes from. Right? Because of some past episodes. That language comes from. And so that song because of the place that I was in, and similar wrestles with the pain and injustice in this world. I found myself so identifying with that heart cry and plea. I recorded it I recorded him with my phone on video recorded him playing this song. It wasn't even released yet. And so I didn't post it anywhere. I'm so bad at regularly posting on social media these days. Anyway, so his song was safe with me. But I recorded it. And just, I still felt like the Lord was speaking to me. You know, those moments when you're like, dang, that felt for me in some way, or there's something significant about that. I've tucked that in my little back pocket, if you will. And I kind of move on. I want to say it was either that same night or the or the next night. I am in my room in this it's really crazy. Like it's like this kind of cabin. Nice cabin, this place don't do a nice things. But it's a nice cabin. That is literally overlooking the river, the Canyon River, or I guess the Freo I should know this. Anyways, this this cabin. That's like, overlooking this river. And the night previously, and that's I know, this was a night to bear with me. But I know this was night too. Because the first night that I was there, in this cabin, I wasn't I was trying to go to sleep. I was trying to figure out how to turn off. There was this like strong light that was in my cabin, and I couldn't, you know, get rid of it. I realized it was a security light. Well, it wasn't until the next night that I figured out Oh, that's something that I can actually turn off. There's a switch outside of the cabin. And so this particular night, I had turned off that that switch, hopefully you're still tracking with me, I had already heard him do this song. Let a little light in whatever day it was, but just not this exact same day. And but this this time, I'm going to sleep. And I think that I have officially turned off the lights that could disrupt my sleep and so I'm gonna sleep good. I you know, if you know me, you know, I sleep good. I appreciate it. And so I'm, I'm asleep. And I, all of a sudden, I find myself woken up in the middle of the night or I don't know how early in the morning it is. And I'm rubbing the crest out of my eyes kind of annoyed because there's this light glaring in my face. And I remember thinking, dang it, I thought a turn the security light off like Did someone turn it back on? Did it does it just come on, no matter what I'm like, I thought I could have sworn I click the switch. And I should be done with this. But then I have just enough of an opening in my eyes to begin to see that the window directly across from me maybe a little bit kind of North West of my northwest side of my room, if you will, is open. And the moon is crazy big, you know, we are up in the hill country. So make sense. But the moon is crazy big. And the light from the moon is coming across these hills, these Canyon hills that I can see coming across the hills over the water and it's hitting my bedroom window. And then the light I cannot make this up. And then the light is literally has this direct path towards me, it's hitting me in the face because I'm sleeping, I guess the position that I had found myself in is I'm kind of sleeping off to one side of the bed and my head's kind of tilted. And so I am in the direct sight of this moon light. And I think when I checked, it's like maybe 5am or something like that. And when I realized that the moon I've been woken up by the moon one, I'm like, I'm tripping. I'm tripping out I'm like, who gets waking up by the moon. But in that moment immediately, you know, you just I just embrace the stillness of this morning we're gonna go oh my gosh, and I'm remembering that song. And the fact that I had recorded it on videos, I pull up his I pull up him playing that song. I have kind of fight the urge initially to take trying to capture a picture of this because I'm like, no one's gonna believe this, the moon just woke me up the frickin moon. But I nonetheless, I, I do take one picture that I do not regret. And I will try to me when I put this into some sort of blog. I'm going to include that picture because you got to see it like it's not even edited. It's just crazy. But I end up taking this. I take my phone, I take the book the photo, and then I play his song, the video of him of him playing and I turn my phone facedown and I just listen to the song again. But this time, literally in the direct path of the moon hearing hit this fee. Let a little light in. Would you let a little light in? My heart is in a panic. Don't keep me in the darkness. Let a little light in work of God. Begin begin. Let a little light in. And this promise of Surely I will dwell on the house of the Lord forever and the glory of the Lord. And just this this play of life and the glory of the Lord shall be present. We There, anyways. And so Paul's, you know, hold that moment, powerful moment. And I'm just feeling so you know those moments when you're feeling so special. And I just think it's maybe it's that. Well, now let's fast forward to. I am in Portugal. And it's actually I've been there. At this point, I have been on sabbatical for, man at least 25 days. Nope. I'm done there. I think I was on sabbatical for a total 25 days I was out of the country. So this might have been like day 21 Or day 22, something like that. And I had been consistently fighting the urge to try and make meaning out of what I was experiencing. You can edit that Sherry, I have been consistently trying to fight the urge to I don't know, here's something profound or figure out things or get clarity or get understanding. I just, I just felt like No, I'm done with that. If it's going to come it will come. And so I was trying to really lay that aside and just be be with God, like be restored. Anyways, I'm in this hotel. And it's this is this palace like hotel. It's in Lisbon or Lisboa, and I am only there for two nights. And when I tell you the price for this hotel is like the price of like a Best Western in America is so trippy to me. But it's incredible. It's probably the it was not probably it was the most luxurious hotel I think I've ever stayed in. And like when even in your bedroom, every room has a scent to it. Because this place used to be a part of the spice like it used to be I'm guessing like where some like spice trade was happening in Portugal obviously, there's some like heavy history to that. But every room has a spice synth, if you will. And it's this Victorian decoration French doors steps down to your bed. And this one particular night I had just experienced a fato dinner with with incredible Portuguese music and port wine which is my favorite and so I am feeling incredible and I'm finally back in my room and then there's and then I noticed there is music playing outside of my door or playing you know not too far maybe a half a mile away from me so super loud enough for me to hear there's this incredible instrumental music and so I have all of my French doors open and then there's this patio and the breezes is coming through and I'm hearing music I feel serenade it's incredible. Okay, let me get off of that. It was a great it was a great experience. But at some point the music stopped and I was ready to create the conditions for total darkness like total and complete darkness I was like I am feeling I'm feeling amazing and I am super tired. I am going to make sure that all the all the lights are out and I sleep good and I'll just wake up whenever I wake up. So I do that I try I turn off the lamp I turn I can make sure my the different doors are closed the bathroom was closed and the lights off. And then I closed the last door but something happened I realized I hadn't shut out all the light I had tried to create the conditions for darkness but then once I shut that last door all of a sudden I realized there is some crazy bright light in here and I'm like Where's this coming from? First I was a light there was a temptation to be a little annoyed but then once I saw it there is this overwhelming gratitude I looked back behind me kind of behind like in the above the door before the steps down to my bed and there is this number 23 is the light from the thermostat that is shining it's no small it's the letters are the where the numbers are no bigger than the palm of my hand. Like for real no bigger and it is creating this intense light throughout this room and I like it was crazy to think of WoW, darkness actually revealed a light I didn't notice before darkness revealed a light I didn't notice before it lit up the room. Its presence was so much stronger and more noticeable in the darkness. And I'm and I'm I'm in I'm amazed this is happening real quick. I'm explaining this slowly right but this is happening so fast. I'm amazed but remember I'm also very sleepy. I also have been drinking port one I am not drunk, but I'm definitely feeling good. And you can edit that I'll share your who knows I don't care. But remember, I'm sleepy. And I am, you know in this. I'm noticing all this so quickly and in this haze, I guess, if you will, in my mind, I remember this word I remember, the light shines in the darkness. And the darkness has not overcome it. And instinctively, there's this knowing and have you ever felt that knowing deep down like it didn't all come that easy was just a first I think it was like a broken sentence. It was like the light shines in the darkness. And then there was this deep knowing of oh, that scripture. That's like the word of truth. And so then I Googled on my phone, and I'm seeing like, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. And I just, I'm on done. Because I realized the gift that God had just given me, the Lord had just given me a sign of very visual picture of hope, literally, in the, you know, I guess like the fourth quarter, if you will of the sabbatical like the like the last second, if you will, that have given me this picture, this very vivid picture of hope. That I would never forget, I will never forget it. I wish I could you I wish you could be there with me in that moment to see this huge room this nice sized room, be so exposed by this very little light. In that moment, three truths. I began to three truths were exposed to me, were illuminated, if you will. One, it's that light is always present. To darkness cannot overcome light. And three, your presence. My presence may seem insignificant at the moment. But if you step into a situation dark enough, you will light up that room with what you carry. I need to say that again. Your presence, my presence may seem insignificant at the moment. But if you step into a situation dark enough, you will light up the room with what you carry. You are necessary. Who cares if you were the only light that moment in that room expose it, it exposed and annihilated so many lies and wrestles I had been struggling with about my significance, and about the difference I could make in such a pain field, unjust, unkind, ruthless, broken world that we live in. Like God, who am I? And also what are you doing? Where are you? I had mistakenly thought that just because the darkness was deep, just because there was a light of it, a lot of it that the light was being overcome. But we know in John one five, it says the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. It is incapable of doing so darkness will not prevail prevail prevail. It cannot suffocate the light. I saw my life in that light. I hope you see your life in that light. This small, seemingly insignificant thing in this room was drastically pushing back the darkness. So live my friend, live and remain. Remain in union with Christ. And as you do, I'm sure you're going to push back darkness. I want to wrap up our time with two reflections or an application for us a reflection. Edit that Sherry, I want to wrap up our time with something for you to reflect and apply. I want to wrap up our time with a reflection and an application. Two points I want you to really get. The first is this. Immerse yourself in the Word. Immerse yourself in the Word. In Romans eight six it says a mind set on the flesh leads to death. While a mind set on the Spirit leads to life and peace. See that moment in that room where truth becomes exposed to me through this visual imagery. That doesn't happen apart from the word of the Word of God also being brought back up from my Spirit If I hadn't recently meditated or spent time or ingested John chapter one that's coming from back that's coming from going back that was hidden deep in my heart a while back. And then the Holy Spirit brought it back up to the surface. But I know that like we there is I'm gonna deviate here for a second in a previous podcast episode that I would encourage you to listen to. It was so good I did an interview with with Pastor John garland. And in that in in, I think it was maybe our first episode together, he talked about the need for connection and resistance. I would say when I'm saying to you immerse yourself in the word, I'm talking about connection. I'm talking about the need and the power of setting our minds on spiritual things, setting our mind on the work of Christ, setting our minds on who Christ is putting our putting the light of Christ before us and saying, I know I know, I'm seeing all this darkness in the earth. I know I'm seeing all this all these things that are good call that a reason for depression, anxiety, pain, fear, control, manipulation, all these things. I'm seeing it, but I'm fixating my eyes upon your truth and I'm fixating, my, my gaze upon who when what you've proclaim to be real about yourself, you are a provider, you are good, you do see the pain, you are present in the midst of it, you do see you are not as high and lifted up and up there and distant and disinterested. But you dwell with you are present to the needs of your people. You are on the side of the poor. You are not distant and disinterested. You see the pain, you see my pain, and to meditate and to and to ingest into welcome in the narrative and truth of Scripture. Sherry, I think I might want to maybe like reduce that or make that a little bit, said more succinctly. So I'll try and say it again. And maybe we can piece this together a little bit free to not be too long. Here, this part. When I'm saying immerse yourself in the word, I'm talking about connection. I'm not just talking about reading scripture for the sake of reading scripture, or memorizing it for the sake of memorizing and I'm talking being connected to the word, the living, breathing WORD OF GOD Christ who is the word, Christ, who is the Light who is our source of light. See, when Romans eight six is Romans eight six says a mindset on the flesh leads to death. Well, a mindset on the Spirit leads to life and peace. If we are not fixing our eyes upon the work of God, upon the nature of God, upon the, the covenant of God, and how this story ends, according to, according to the according to truth, revealed in the Word of God. If we don't remember, and remind ourselves of the hope and the way this story ends, then we that then we're allowing ourselves to be, we're allowing ourselves to be led to, to destruction, by where it says that the enemy comes to steal, to kill and destroy, that's where the our enemy wants to lead us. That's where meditating on the things of the flesh lead us, because it's painful out here. It's painful. I remember telling the Lord one day while I was on sabbatical to keep my mind like set on him because I don't like where I go, like the path that my mind the path that when my mind is not set upon him if I'm when I'm not gazing upon him, man, the path that I go just leads me to more pain and uncertainty. It is leads to more destruction. So we need to meditate on the things of the Spirit. And this Beloved's is not an escape. It's not an escapism. It's not a let me just hold out for heaven. And no, and hold on, hold on to that and do nothing. No, it's not an escape. It's actually powered to engage. Christ is sending you out to be light in the darkness. But first, the light needs to shine on you. In that same way that moonlight was shining upon me. In the canyons, the light needs to shine on you first. In that podcast episode with John like I said, he talked about connection but then he also talked about resistance that it's both both spiritual disciplines are needed risk connection and resistance. Resistance in, in this context is me telling you get in dark rooms, get in dark rooms cling to the light, and with that light resist darkness. Remember, I didn't even recognize the power and potency of the light that was present with me in the room into the room got dark and some of you don't really know who you are or what you carry, or what you're called to do. And you're wrestling and you're just you're but you're shriveling up afraid. You were unwilling to go into dark places and be the light of Christ. Get into dark rooms resist the enemy. Resist the devil. We have been called to join in with Christ and destroying the works of the devil. That's what we've been called to do. Let me give you some verses that I think, are you. Proverbs 31 Nine says open your mouth judge righteously defend the rights of the poor and needy. Luke 1142 says, Woe to you Pharisees, for the for you tie men and roo and every herb and neglect, justice and the love of God, these you ought to have done without neglecting the others. First, John 318 says Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. And then I'm so struck by in Luke 19. Jesus says of Zacchaeus he says it says that today's salvation has come to this house shortly after that key is after being convicted by Christ begins to say, Hey, I'm about to pay back all of I owe all the people that I have wronged all the injustice that I've done, all the pain, I've caused the pour all the way that I've received I've connived I have like swindled, I have slid. I have like been sly, and I've used, I've used my intellect, I've used my emotions, to abuse other people I've used i my i have willed the pain of other people. Now Zacchaeus has been convicted, he's going, I'm going to make right these wrongs that I've participated in. And Jesus says, Today, salvation has come to this house. Get in dark rooms, beloved, immerse yourself in the word. That's about connection. Right? You've got to the light has to be exposed to you, the light has to shine on you. But then go get in dark rooms, because it's not just about you. It is also about resisting. It's not just about clinging to the light. It's about resisting the darkness, darkness will not prevail, the gates of hell shall not prevail. That's what the quick what would Christ spoke about his church? So go and be that in the world resist? Where is Christ calling you to resist? And how is Christ calling you to connect? What do those things look like? Because that plea that Sonic prayer, that John gara was praying when he wrote that song, let a little light in. That doesn't happen first without the work of Christ. But it also doesn't happen without the participation of the people of God. So you, we can both pray that prayer, God let a little light in. But then we also need to go and be that prayer. The answer to that prayer. For the many that are crying out and saying, God, let a little light in