Low-Lit Trails in a Darkened World

Or, Means of Grace which Light the Way

As a child and youth, hiking, camping, and backpacking became beloved escapes. These were the closest thing to a hobby I maintained while scrapping my way through engineering school.

I can’t tell you what season or year this story comes from, but I know it was a rainy Friday afternoon when my friend Marshall called. We had been talking about a weekend backpacking trip; the time was right for folks, even if the weather was not.

Our friend group would hike in a few miles, set up tents, cook and eat, talk by the fire, then sleep. Simple plan to get out for some simple living, old-fashioned enjoyment, a touch-grass sort of thing. That’s often the point of backpacking, whether for a few nights or several months!

We all packed bags, met and loaded up, and drove for the trail in South Mountain State Park someone had selected. Reaching the trail-head, the moon had taken over and we had 2+ miles to traverse upwards, then find a place to stake our tents.

The moon was quite luminous and your eyes can adjust a bit to the dim light after a while. Someone behind me forgot their flashlight like a first-timer and was trying to use their phone light to see where they were stepping. A few folks further back had lights, but we were not moving all bunched in a group.

I had a headlamp and flashlight in my bag, but thought I was doing alright walking by the light of the moon (like a dingus). I had stumbled on a few root systems which were pretty slick from the earlier rain, but I tramped along. I also didn’t want to take my bag off, slow down, and re-adjust.

One more slip brought the thought of how fun a sprained ankle on a hillside would be at night, and some common-sense floated up and won the debate in my mind. I decided to stop and grab a light.

I was first in the pack of folks hiking. Not 10 steps after I had taken out my flashlight, a 4′ snake was crossing the footpath. I am not a snake identifier; I am among those who hold to the claim there is no good snake. Whether I would’ve stepped right on it or over it, bite or no bite, I can’t say. I do know I would not have seen this snake just as I had not seen the roots previously, or had not seen them well-enough.

The snake crossed, we all stopped together and said, “close one,” then carried on. Yet, as you may imagine this did not leave my mind for much of the evening. The timing, the fact that others were with me with lights but we were not close together for the benefit of one another, the reality that I had the light I needed and was not putting it to use.

During my college years, I had never heard the phrase “means of grace,” but I was growing in love for the Word (the Bible), struggling in prayer and meditation, and exceedingly grateful for the Church as my family. While I was finishing up that hike, setting up my tent, while going to sleep and so on, I could not rattle the following thought from my mind, and it has stayed with me ever since.

As Christians, if we are not walking in all that the Lord has graciously provided for us, we are functioning like the hiker on a dimly lit path that has his light in his backpack, but ignorantly has not taken it out and used it. Every analogy breaks down but that doesn’t mean they are worthless or should be discounted.

If we have come to know the Living God, the Christ who purchased us with his own blood, we must not be seeking to tune our eyes to this darkened world but have our path lit with all he provides.

My thought was that trying to walk by the moonlight is like trying to get by in a broken world with some Jesus or a dose of truth and fellowship, Sunday to Sunday, or once in a while. Rather, we have been given the gift of hearing the Word preached, participating among the body of believers in true relationship, with the Word in our own language.

The Scriptures are not to be used as a verse pill-a-day out of context, but as our daily spiritual food and light to all of life. The light shining from the Sunday service is a great gift, but it ought not be the only thing. The lamp in your hand, day in and day out, will keep your foot from falling.

I have been thinking about this so much while we have been teaching our daughter Psalm 119:105. Truly the Word of God is to be our lamp and our light, bringing sight to where our feet trod in this world God made and placed us in. As his image-bearers, we seek to bring him glory as we walk in the worthy way he has set out for his people.

Sometimes as Christians we settle for the low-lit trails, content to be out from utter darkness; though we are Christians, saved by grace, our thinking and living may be immature, uninformed, or sub-Christian. On our way to the place of rest we can live wisely…or less-wisely.

Some would say this describes much of the Western Church—maybe the departure rates from the gathered body since Covid shows this to be true. Maybe it still describes much of the dreary or dozing congregation. Wake up church!

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 

Let’s not settle for having access to the light, but instead make use of every opportunity to be growing in knowledge, wisdom, and application as a result of being in the presence of the One who is himself Light. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

This must excite us.

Are you serious about Sunday fellowship and worship as a privilege, or more of a “give what you feel, when you feel it” sort of attitude as if it were an obligation to be put off? Do you see Christ as significant beyond all else?

Can you say honesty that in life you are limping along at times but see a trajectory of growth as a disciple, or steady stubbornness is the trend with a blip of light and liveliness from time to time?

Do you love God as you look to his revealed Word day by day? Do you read it to get a quick ‘inspiration’ for your day with no real understanding? Or, do you seek that your heart, mind, soul, schedule and every aspect of your living would be in accord with the Lord, all for the King’s glory?

Lord, help us to look to you in all matters. Help us love your Word and forgive us for when we have not, or compartments of life where we have not. As God shapes us by meeting with us and leading us through divine revelation, as we are transformed through the renewal of our minds, God will use us a light up on a hill that cannot be hidden to call others to come and worship (read Matthew 5:14-16).

God, draw us to light—nothing withheld—and use as your light in the midst of the world darkened by sin. Bring others out from darkness and into the light, for your glory, and for their eternal good. Bring your kingdom as your light shines through us.

If you need to: slow down, readjust, get with some believers who are serious in joy, ever in the Word, and seeking to be the Light. Without that lamp to your feet and light to your path, without taking advantage of the good things the Lord has gladly given, we make ourselves susceptible to the less-visible snares and the more deadly snakes.

READ: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/we-read-to-get-god

READ MORE: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/where-jesus-travels

BONUS: https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2020/06/what-is-a-means-of-grace/

…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. —Colossians 1:12-14