| The Light Under
the Dog House
by Jim Hammond
In a journal entry from some time ago, I found the following. "When my dog's ball
rolled under her dog house that rests on some bricks, I lifted the house up to get the
ball, to my surprise there was a plant trying its best to survive in those dark
conditions. It was pale, limp, and sickly. It wasn't sick from a lack of moisture [this
was in Poway, Southern CA] , but from a lack of light.
If God were to lift the house that conceals your heart what would the condition of it
be? Our God does just that. I Samuel 16:6 says, "The Lord does not look at the
things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the
heart." It is a good thing that only God sees our hearts. He can handle knowing
our heart’s true condition. We cannot handle knowing the true condition of our
neighbors’ hearts, or our brother’s. It is hard enough knowing what we do know
about each other. What is sobering is that God really does see the condition of your heart
this morning. Is it pale, sickly, limp? You and I are in need of coming into the presence
of God's light. Jesus said "I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will
never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). His light may
be painful at first. We wish we could hide our eyes which have grown accustomed to the
darkness. We must look at the blasting light of the cross and the empty tomb. We are
forced to look straight into the darkness of ourselves before the light of the cross
becomes ours. The glittering "light" of ambition. wealth, and success fade away
when we focus on the blasting light of the cross and empty tomb. All other lights fade as
we focus on the un-shadowed light of life. The truth of the cross exposes our hearts and
obliterates the darkness. While we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans
5:8) This was a demonstration of his love. He did it while he knew the sick condition of
our hearts though hidden from everyone else. Come to the light of the World this morning.
Give him your heart and its darkness will be swallowed by the brilliance of His Light.
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