Do the math… “Never Ending Story III” + Flashlight = Japan

most would probably call my journey, “The Never Ending Story III” due to all the changing plans and extended stay.  The story of what’s happening here and how God is moving is still going on, but the part that my character has played is coming down to its final scene.  Right now, it looks like I will be leaving tomorrow (America’s Friday night) to make it back in the States Saturday night.  Is this the end of my character in the ongoing saga, or will it return for another episode?  Only Jesus, my Director knows 🙂

Short-termers love using them flashlights!

I am now going to be the stereotypical short-termer and say, “I really wish I could stay”.  There’s something about going into the darkness that feeds one’s soul.  Most of the time, my life has been about just being a light wherever I am, but rarely do I actually charge into actual darkness for the sake of being a light.  Being a light tends to be something that I assume will follow me, rather than taking it into my hand, placing it directly in front of me, and run to where it can most shine.  The more I see life and know my Savior, the more I am starting to believe that we are spiritually built for charging towards darkness.  Instead of being happy to walk down the street and hope my light shines into some small shadow, I’ve actually been given this light to go directly and intentionally into the ally that has no light.

Why do I love my flashlight when I’m camping… yet for some reason it just doesn’t seem to excite me as much when I’m in my room?  I can still turn it on and use it in my room… like when I’m trying to find the outlet behind a dresser or look for that shoe under the bed.  But its use is sporadic, short-lived, and not very exciting.  With camping however, my flashlight is my life.  I have to have the light to survive.  How would I ever have found the bathroom without it!  Not only is it useful and needed constantly, it is in some strange way also fun and exciting.  No matter how old I get, looking into the dark woods with a flashlight is just entertaining.  You do not take your flashlight for granted when it’s a part of your life.

So here in Japan, I’ve been camping with my flashlight… and loving it!  It’s been exciting to see Jesus, my light, being used in such darkness.  Is it always exciting and fun? No. Sometimes it’s downright scary.  Instead of having light all around you to see everything that’s happening, you are limited to only what the light shows you.  There are hooting owls, brisling bushes, and cracking sticks… therefore… it is scary!  There are times that it’s exciting to have the light, but then times when you feel like it’s not enough. Stepping into the darkness is always risky.  That’s where faith comes in.  Faith isn’t just using the light when it’s convenient; faith is actually taking it into the darkness and assuming it will be enough.

I don’t want to continue only using my light when I happen to find a shadow… I want to take it into the darkness.  Honestly… I feel like I’m going back to a rather well lit room after having spent almost a month in pure darkness.  It seems that’s the feeling most short- termers have when coming back from a mission trip.  We feel like we’re now going back to using our light only for those few shadows and I think that’s why it’s so hard to leave.  Now we want more. There is something natural and organic that makes us love having to rely completely on our light.  When we see Jesus’ light in our own lives, it’s the most amazing feeling!

What I learned from the flashlight

My prayer is that I won’t see my leaving as going back to a well-lit room.  I pray that I will intentionally seek out darkness back in America.  I don’t have to go camping to find darkness, I just need to step out of my comfortable house and start walking towards the darkness.  Most of the time though, when I step outside, it’s not to find darkness, it’s for some other reason.  I want to actually STEP outside, for the SOLE purpose of INVADING darkness.  I don’t want my light to be used for shadows on a comfortable road.  I am starting to believe more and more that this is what Jesus meant when He gave us His light.  I have to charge into the darkness, to not only truly appreciate it, but to also truly fulfill the purpose of it being a part of me.

So I ask you… when was the last time you stepped out to SEEK out darkness for the sake of INVADING it with light?  God invaded this dark world, and has now instilled His light in us… are you going to be another man on the street… finding gratification in dropping a little light here and there?  When you think of your flashlight… how are you using it?  These are the questions on my mind and heart…

Oh, and I really like this campsite called Japan 😉  I sure wouldn’t complain about returning someday… and I think others might like it too…

P.S. Check in for a new video coming out tomorrow.