I am generally NOT a compulsive buyer. In fact, with our plans to move to Bolivia when God allows, we have been in a nonspending mode for the last two years. That said, there is something that calls to me when flashlights go on sale. Maybe it’s a guy thing but it seems you can’t have too many flashlights. I have “just in case” flashlights in each car, in the storm shelter areas of the house, by the bed, etc.

Our grandchildren love playing “flashlight tag” so having a supply of batteries on hand is always a good idea, or better yet those windup flashlights. And because their borrowed flashlights often end up buried in sofa cushions or behind a large piece of furniture, it is always good to have some extras available. At the urging of my wise wife, I haven’t bought ANY flashlights this year; instead I gathered up a pile of used flashlights (excluding the ones that got lost) and determined which ones worked, which needed batteries, and which needed new bulbs. So we are again ready for electrical outages or more games of flashlight tag.

It’s interesting how games sometimes imitate life. In flashlight tag you try to hide in the darkness until someone exposes you with their light…once exposed you are ‘out’ until the next round. I wonder how often we adults ‘hide’ in the darkness of our busyness and the pursuit of our short-lived games. We put off the things which would bring us real joy in exchange for those that offer short-lived distraction. But unlike flashlight tag, being exposed by the True Light doesn’t cause us to lose. Rather, God’s light exposes the illusion of darkness and the fullness of real joy available to us. It convicts us of our wrongdoing and wrong thinking and leads us to walk in the light that frees us. And all we need to do to ‘recharge’ is to draw close to him and spend time in his presence. No batteries needed. No more flashlights either. Let’s not take “flashlight tag” into real life. Instead, walk in the real light and enjoy fellowship with each other and with God.

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
1 John 1:5,7