darkness, light

Geoff Ryan has said, "There's no use lighting a candle in a well-lit room" -- or something to that effect! And his words (and his life!) are one reason I find myself sitting here in Estonia instead of at "home" where my heart is strongly drawn right now. Here in Estonia, where there is such a lack of officers and such a need for Christian witness. I know I'm not the best one to be here, but as Gladys Aylward said, God surely chose someone else to come here but he said no, so God let me come because at least I was willing if not quite as capable!

This whole theme of darkness and light has been coming up quite a bit lately.
http://www.armybarmy.com/blog.html
(Andrew Bale continues:)
A quote from SLB (Love Slaves) lifted from Matt Clifton’s Blog
“And it is this Holiness – the doctrine, the experience, the action – that we Salvationists must maintain, otherwise we shall betray our trust; we shall lose our birthright; we shall cease to be a spiritual power in the earth; we shall have a name to live, and yet be dead; our glory will depart; and we, like Samson shorn of his locks, shall become as other men; the souls with whom we are entrusted will grope in darkness or go elsewhere for soul-nourishment and guidance; and while we may still have titles and ranks, which will have become vainglorious, to bestow upon our children, we shall have no heritage to bequeath them of martyr-like sacrifice, or spiritual power, or dare-devil faith, of pure, deep joy, of burning love, of holy triumph.”

Of course I am well familiar with the quote, but this time this phrase really jumped out at me: "the souls with whom we are entrusted will grope in darkness"!!!

PS 18:28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

PS 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
[Apart from which I could only grope about in the darkness.]

MT 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
[One purpose of living a holy life is that others my come to honor God.]

LK 15:8 "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

JN 5:35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
[John’s giving light was costly to him.]