April 08, 2003

Tides of Darkness

I have occasionally had a story, or an idea, that comes to me and that will not leave my head until I write it down. This one kept me up late into the night. Some of these things are good, and although I may have written them, I do not believe that I was the Author. It is at times like these, that I understand what Inspiration really means: "God Breathed".

Disclaimer: The following is a fictional event, but the message is as true as if it had really happened. It is my prayer that this communicates to you somehow. Enjoy!


“I don’t see anything wrong with it!” the black haired man said to me. “I mean, I can quit any time I want. I am not, like, engrossed in it, just kind of dabbling.”

I responded, “Witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, eastern mysticism, immorality, rebellion, and sin in general are NOT things to be dabbled with. You say you are just feeling the waters. These things are like a vast, deep ocean- dark and inviting from the edge. The mysteries of their depths call out to you. The promise of its secrets and power are irresistible. You stand at the edge of the water and ignore all warnings of the dangers of the sea. ‘I am just standing at the edge! Just dabbling.’ you say. ‘No danger’. Then the sea seems to call out to you as you gaze. Your imagination takes over and you take a few steps out, just a little further into the icy water. ‘Hear my instruction!, don’t be a fool and ignore it!’ (Prov. 8:31) cry those around you. ‘Stay out of the water, it is dangerous.’ They say. But you, in your limited understanding and pride, don’t see the danger of standing ankle deep in water, so you ignore them. Soon, the icy water around your ankles no longer seems cold, and the thought of going out a little deeper seems easy, not dangerous. So you take a few steps out, the water comes up to your knees as you ignore those who call out to you to come back. What a ludicrous idea, come back. It only comes up to your knees. Why, you could turn around and walk back anytime and no problems.
Your eyes are drawn out to the horizon. Then before you know it, the tides have come in and you’re totally surrounded, the water that once came up to your knees now comes up to your neck. The icy liquid threatens to strangle you as you ask yourself, “What happened?” But it’s too late. Like a raging storm, the Tides of Darkness came in. The Tides of Darkness have you. You try to turn and swim to shore, but it’s useless. The Tides of Darkness have you, and like a great slimy tentacle, the current pulls you in, deeper, darker into the sub-zero water. It seems like the more that you struggle to get free, the harder it is to get free, until you just stop struggling. And it’s when you stop, that it really gets bad. The pressure of the depth presses against you until you cannot breathe, and it threatens to overwhelm you. As you go deeper, shapes start to take form. Horrible, ghoulish faces appear all around you, threatening to devour you. The Tides of Darkness have you. The icy water saps your strength and you are helpless as the Demons of the Deep torment you and you are pulled ever deeper, ever darker, into despair.

Finally, you reach the deepest, the darkest point in your life. You cry out in anguish ‘OH GOD!’. And you hear a thousand voices taunting you, mocking you. ‘Oh yes, call on Him! Oh God! Come and help me. I have made a mess of my life and now I want you to come and make it all better!’ ‘God doesn’t care about you, he allowed us to have you. You are ours.’
It is then that you realize that it’s true. You did make a mess of your life. It was you who stepped into the water, you who ignored the warnings, you who allowed them to get you. This revelation does not help, for it only compounds the problem, why would God help you, when you don’t deserve it?”
It was at this point when the black haired man stopped me. “I don’t believe that.”

“It doesn’t matter, the truth doesn’t change just because you don’t believe it.” I turned to go, when I had a thought. I turned and faced him, “Just when you reach the point of hopelessness, I want you to know. There is a lifeline. There is a way out, there is a Rescuer. If you want it; for no matter how deep you go Jesus is deeper still!”

Twenty years later, I visited this man’s grave. On the headstone where the words:


Once I was sinking in the deep, dark sea
As all my enemies encompassed round about me

And cried aloud in hellish glee
‘The Tides of Darkness have thee’

And so it was, for overwhelmed by my own sin
I was sinking deep within,

And as the last ray of light faded from my view,
I realized that it was true.

For the blame of this tragedy
Could be placed only upon me.

I was fairly warned, by many a fellow,
Of the horrible dangers that did lie below.

But how fiercely I fought
To deny that a little leads to a lot

And how safer it is, to be far from he
Who seeks to devour thee.


Now all was lost!
Oh, how pride has such a great cost!

But then I remembered the words of a friend,
Who, from love, had this word of hope to lend.

That no matter how deep or ill,
‘Jesus is deeper still!’

So, for all those who have yet to stray:
Remember these words of mine, I pray.

And for all those who have lived this story:
Darkness cannot live in the presence of HIS glory.

And last, but not least
Friend,
I’ll see YOU at the feast!

January 30, 2001

Posted by GodzScout at April 8, 2003 02:04 PM
Comments

well written!
everyone needs to understand ,to God, sin is sin, big or small. sin starts small and that gives satan a place to press you down more. always up hold everything right and good even in the difficult; God alone is who we serve,not worldly sources. 1 john 2:17

Posted by: jennifer at April 9, 2003 01:19 PM