A traveling band of ten among the children of light — seven children and three of age — treaded the grounds of a city under the rule of the enemy. The flicker of a rainbow, the sign of a covenant-keeping Ruler, had given them hope they could get through the mysterious city and reach the capital of their Great King.
Formerly a woman in the wilderness and forever a kingdom child, the warrior princess led her small group of those seeing and hearing past the city of darkness, which, most unexpected to her, didn’t appear dark at all. On the contrary, it was full of color and light, with people rushing around them, to and fro, heading who knows where.
A growing dread slowly diluted their group’s fascination. Was the city they had walked into as it seemed? Why was there an underlying current of something sinister hiding in the shadows, waiting to pounce on them?
A slither, already far too familiar to her, snickered at her. What are you doing here, child?
She didn’t respond. Her ancient foe wasn’t worthy of her time.
It’s not what you expected, isn’t it? You thought you were walking into a city of darkness and desolation. Yet, here you are, surrounded by a city of light and freedom. Don’t you see? Your King lied to you. The world beyond His kingdom’s borders, outside His rule, isn’t dark at all. We have our own light. We have our own glory.
“It’s not what I expected,” her companion and friend, the sentinel, said to her.
The warrior princess sighed. “Sometimes, we cannot rely only on what we see. We need to look beyond what’s in front of us. Stay on guard.”
“I agree.” The iron maiden, their fellow sojourner, nodded.
The warrior princess smiled.
“What?” The iron maiden widened her eyes.
“The three of us rarely agree unanimously on something.”
“Well, we are no longer in a kingdom surrendered to the King.” The iron maiden’s eyes darted from side-to-side, vigilant as they walked farther into the territories of a city unknown to them. “We cannot afford to be divided.”
“I will stand guard over the group from behind,” the sentinel volunteered. He made his way behind their group to protect their wards — the mission God had entrusted to them — from the back. The iron maiden walked alongside the children, taking on the middle flank.
The warrior princess blinked at her surroundings, the bright lights straining her eyes. They needed to find shelter in this strange city. Where were they to stay?
An immediate answer to her unspoken question, a woman covered from head-to-foot by a scarlet cloak covering everything but her face approached them. “It’s you!” she exclaimed. “Finally!” She covered her eyes when she reached them.
Something about the urgency in the woman’s tone and the eagerness by which she greeted them gave the warrior princess peace. “We are from the kingdom of light,” she said to the stranger.
“I am the daughter of enmity.” She squinted her eyes and blinked as if she was having trouble seeing them. “Please. Follow me. We must get out of here. I will explain later.”
The warrior princess looked back at her fellow leaders. Both nodded their agreement, so they followed the daughter of enmity onto a bright highway. After they had already gone about a third through the empty highway, the warrior princess turned to check on their group only to gasp in surprise. Behind them, the city of bright lights was now shrouded in darkness.
Only then did she realize. As usual — true to its eternal nature — the words that came out of the slither’s hiss were nothing but lies. The city wasn’t a city of light. It was them. They were the light, and wherever they went, they radiated their King’s glory.
Manna
Verses for Meditation
Eve — Cursed: Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you. Isaiah 60:2When Jesus spoke again to the people, he 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
Author’s Reflections
As children of light, it should no longer surprise us to find ourselves in a world shrouded in darkness. We live in times where the world applauds what Scripture says to be wrong and shames what Scripture says to be righteous. This dichotomy will only increase as the coming of the Lord draws near.
In it all, we remember we are children of the day tasked to bring His light and love wherever we are. There are many among us called to go to specific places where darkness rules and evil thrives. There are also those who are to stay at the home front supporting those who go, but still keeping the fire blazing where they have been instructed to stand guard. Whichever of the two you are — maybe both, depending on the season — you have a part in the Great Commission.
Today, let us look beyond what we are going through, and ask God to reveal to us a nation or a people who yet need to hear the Gospel. Find someone to agree with you in prayer and pray for the salvation of this nation or people group, as well as His grace, blessing, protection, and wisdom upon our brothers and sisters who are standing as representations of Christ’s light among them.
This is from allegorical devotional, The Warrior Bride.