Light and order vs. darkness and disorder

What happens when you turn on the light? You can see where you’re going—unless your surroundings are full of disorder and chaotic confusion.

God impressed on my heart that 2016 will be a year of Light and Order. All too often I’ve found myself bogged down in disorder—whether in my natural surroundings, in my relationships, or in the outcome of snap decisions birthed from not seeking God first.

The Bible has much to say about Light. One of my favorite verses has been John 8:12, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

This Scripture comforted and equipped me when I was a new Christian. I had witnessed many of my friends fall into the confusion of cults or carnality, so I clung to this verse and trusted Jesus to keep me in the Light as I followed Him.

But does the Bible touch on the topic of order? Absolutely. The entire testimony of Scripture highlights God’s order for man, for the earth, and for all of life and nature. Two main Scriptures come to mind on this topic, and a third—a very obscure verse—jumped out at me about order/disorder a couple of weeks ago as I was reading the Word.

First Corinthians 14:33 concludes a discussion about the use of charismatic gifts in church meetings. Paul sums it up this way: “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints,” and in verse 40 admonishes, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (KJV; emphasis added). Order, according to these references, is the polar opposite of confusion, and at the same time it flows in harmony with peace.

The apostle James also spoke of disorder to a group of believers who apparently tore into one another on a regular basis in jealous fits. He warned them, “…if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth” (James 3:14). He continued, “This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic” (verse 15).

Tying it all together, he flatly rebuked them. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (verse 16; emphasis added).

How’s that for a well-deserved slap in the face? James equated disorder with every evil thing. I don’t know about you, but I want none of that!

One Scripture, though, brought it all home for me concerning the connection between Light and Order. And it came from an unexpected source—troubled Job in the middle of his horrible ordeal.

His friends—who initially came to comfort him after suddenly losing his ten children, his health, and his wealth—ended up reproving and scorning him in his misery. Outraged and despairing, Job longed for death and lamented, “Before I go—and I shall not return—to the land of darkness and deep shadow, the land of utter gloom and darkness itself, of deep shadow without order, and which shines as the darkness” (Job 10:21-22; emphasis added).

In his misery, Job prophetically linked darkness with disorder. The two go hand-in-hand in the same way that their opposites do—Light and Order.

And isn’t it interesting that the source of all of Job’s misery was neither his arrogance, his sin, nor his dysfunction (as his friends had smugly insinuated)? No; the very root of Job’s woe originated from the one who came to steal, kill, and destroy—the accuser of the brethren—the devil.

Although Job never discerned the source of his troubles throughout the ordeal, he knew in his gut that it had something to do with darkness and disorder. You see, any time the devil attacks, he brings with him the darkness which emanates from his kingdom, and he injects the disorder that spews from the very core of his nature.

Therefore, if you ever find yourself in a season of confusion, disorder, darkness, or gloom, recognize this: Your enemy is attempting to interject himself into the equation of your life. Here’s the good news—try as he might, this god of darkness and disorder is no match for the Light of the world, the Word made flesh—Jesus Christ.

Your job at these times is to turn on the Light—call out to your Lord and open His Word. Let Him speak to you through its pages, and rejoice that His Light still shines in darkness…and that the darkness never could—and never will—overpower it.

Dorothy

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. John 1:4-5