Funny thing happened a few days after the funeral of my first husband. Let me explain…
My sister Cathy had committed to staying with me for a month after Jeff passed away. She was going to homeschool my oldest daughter, Heather, who was in second grade. She was also planning to help me with David and Katie, my 5 and 4 year old. She had two young children of her own, Michael and Chelle, who would be with us as well.
So beds were limited. Cathy was going to sleep with me. This was not a problem. Cathy and I grew up sleeping in the same bed. And I might add that there were 3 of us girls in a full bed until I was about 10 years old.
Our oldest sister, Sandra, eventually moved to a pull out trundle. That was certainly a great day in our home.
This bed was a queen. Cathy and I would have plenty of room. For sure, her presence at night would bring me comfort during this season of deep grief. I thank the Lord she was able to stay with me during those dark days of grief.
As we settled down to go to sleep that very first night, I turned off the light and got in bed.
“You sleep with the light off?” Cathy murmured quietly.
“Yessss,” I hesitated, “How do you sleep?” I asked, my mind totally blown.
Cathy began to remind me how, when we were younger, Dad and Mom had always left a light on in the bathroom. Then they left our bedroom door cracked so there was always a small amount of light streaming into our room. Yes I remember.
While on their honeymoon she asked her husband, Jerry, if they could leave a light on in the bathroom. He did! They have been leaving the light on ever since.
By now I was laughing pretty hard. And yes, you bet, I got up and turned the light on!
Light is such a wonderful thing when it is dark. We live in a dark world. I once heard that it is not the fault of the darkness that it is dark. This made me think of my personal responsibility as a Christian.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16.
Years ago, while memorizing and meditating on a few verses in Philippians, I learned how arguing and complaining are sins that will dim our light as a Christian. We might as well go ahead, and hide it under a bushel if we are going to live a life of grumbling and complaining.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Philippians 2:14-15
Even though all of the children Israel experienced the same blessings of crossing the Red Sea, being under the cloud, eating the same spiritual manna God provided, and drinking the same spiritual water from the Rock, there were those who murmured and complained in unbelief.
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. I Corinthians 10:10
They were destroyed. Murmuring not only dims our light, it reveals our lack of faith in God’s love and faithfulness. Murmuring against God brings loss and destruction to ourselves and to those around us.
Our world is already a dark and broken place. Let us learn from these examples in 1 Corinthians. Let us heed the admonition to lay aside murmuring lest we all get lost in the dark.
Loser Bible Study Series Theme Verse:
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.” Mark 8:35
“Lose” from the Greek word “Apollymi” means “to destroy fully.” It is translated destroyed in I Corinthians 10:10, our verse for today.
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