Read Colossians 1:9-18

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love…” (Colossians 1:13)

Several years ago, my family and I spent a week on the Oregon Coast — a cherished time just for us. We rented a house that was only a 30-second walk from the shore, nestled in a quaint little town where the beach felt like our own private paradise. Best of all, there were no fire bans. One evening, we gathered around a fire right on the beach, watching the sun dip below the horizon. It was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever shared with my family.

As darkness enveloped us, the only light came from our fire and a few distant flickers along the shore. The night was darker than I could have imagined, with fog beginning to creep in. The tide was out, and I asked my boys (then, very little) if they wanted to join me for a walk in the dark. Their eyes sparkled with excitement, and together we ventured away from the warm glow of our fire.

As we walked further into the night, the fog thickened, wrapping around us like a heavy blanket. I had a headlamp on, but it offered little help against the density of the mist. Each step away from the fire felt like we were plunging deeper into an abyss. Periodically, we turned back to glance at the fire, which was shrinking and dimming until it barely flickered against the surrounding blackness. Yet, against my better judgment and common sense as a parent, we pressed on. My boys’ squeals of delight quickly morphed into shrieks of fear as we ventured further and further into the unknown.

After wandering about 100 yards from the fire (which is only a guess), I decided it was time to turn back. But before we did, I switched off my headlamp to experience complete darkness. An overwhelming fear hit us like a ton of bricks, settling deep in our guts — a visceral sensation of being alone, helpless, and most frighteningly, without light.

Without needing to say a word, we began to run back to the fire as fast as we could, longing for the safety of its light! When we finally returned, relief washed over us.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Later that night, after settling the kids into bed, I realized I had left an important item on the beach. I decided it was too valuable to leave behind, even if it meant braving the dark once more. The trek seemed simple: a few yards down the road, a sandy path leading down, and then a few boulders to navigate before reaching the shore. However, as I ventured out, the fog had thickened even more. This time, I was utterly alone — no campfires in the distance, no family nearby, just the oppressive darkness, the roaring ocean, and me. Worst of all, my headlamp had become useless, which gave me an even deeper sense of dread.

In that moment, the darkness seemed to coil in my stomach and crawl down my spine, filling me with anxiety, uncertainty, and loneliness. I’m not sure there’s a word for what I felt. I was consumed and overwhelmed by the darkness in a way I had never experienced before. Eerily, I even remember gnashing my teeth, just as Jesus said would happen to those suffering eternal darkness.

In those few short moments of isolation, I realized: This is what life without Christ feels like — darkness, overwhelming anxiety, uncertainty, loneliness, uncontrollable fear, and hopelessness.

But it was this dark experience that makes Paul’s words resonate all the more: “He has delivered me from the power of darkness and transferred me into the kingdom of His beloved Son, where I am now in the light” — why? — “because of redemption by His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

Oh, Beloved, to be lifted from the suffocating grip of darkness and placed safely into His kingdom of love and light — that simple truth is truly something to praise God for! Let His forgiveness and redemption wash over you, and you will quickly experience release from the heavy grip of darkness and find yourself overjoyed to be in the light! In the light, you are now safe!

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” (1 Peter 2:9)