Read

John 3:16-21, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ‘He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.’”

2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Think

Watching scary movies can be a spine-tingling, adrenaline-rushing, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat experience. However, if you’re a frequent horror film viewer, you can probably identify typical storyline patterns. For example, how many of these films have sudden strange power outages in dark basements or other desolate locations? Yet you still find yourself screaming at the screen to help navigate the potential victims out of harm’s way — that’s the advantage that comes with being the aware observer. We know where and when imminent danger lies. In movies, the characters may be aware of the threat, yet they continue to along the path destined for doom, as suspected within the script.

While we may laugh at the thought of futilely trying to help a person in a movie steer clear of danger, a similar scenario happens every day. As Christ-followers, we have the advantage of knowing the script. In the film of life — God wins. And if we know Him personally, we win, too! The script — the Bible — also tells us that we live in a world ruled by the Prince of Darkness. So, many in the world today are like the scary movie characters wandering around in the darkness, oblivious to their ultimate destiny of destruction. We can try and help direct them to the light of Jesus, the only safe haven. And yet, too many times, they choose to remain in the darkness.

We must remain diligent in our pursuit to help guide others to Christ. In the end, though, they choose whether or not to surrender their lives to Him. But we must never forget to love them and lead them enough to be a beacon of light shining in the darkness.

Act

As a Christ-follower, be aware of the light that shines within you for others to see. It’s bright enough to attract others who see a difference in you and want it for themselves. Ask God to open your eyes today to someone looking for a safe haven. Share your story and invite them to church!

Pray

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the light You have placed in my heart. We live in a dark world, and so many are searching for a way out of danger. Open my eyes to people in need of salvation and give me the confidence to share the reason for my hope and invite them to church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.