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Beyond the Woodpile

by Debbie Allen

Every year, there is something about the Spring season that presses me a little nearer to God’s Heart. Something rises up inside of me that I don’t sense in any of the other seasons. My spirit is strangely lifted, listening to the morning songs of returning robins; spilling notes of pure joy into the silence of dawn’s early light. My heart is warmed watching a timid, baby bunny scoot a fresh, pink nose from under a backyard woodpile; out into the world for the first time. But, unlike the robins, who sing their songs of praise to their Creator with no apology or doubt holding them back; the little bunny shrinks away from making his own grand entrance into the new season. Curious at his seeming lack of curiosity, I wondered why he hesitated so. Why did he choose the darkness of that rabbit hole over the warm, sunshine flooding the doorstep of the world just beyond the woodpile?

 Having no degree in bunny psychology, I have no way of knowing for sure what went on between his two pink, bunny ears that day; but I will share with you what I believe to be true. God created that little bunny to run carefree in the sunshine, not to spend his life cowering in the darkness. God equipped him with specific survival features connected to his eyes; which affects how he experiences the world around him. The bunny can literally, see all-around him without turning his head.  His field of vision is nearly 360 degrees! He can even sleep with his eyes open if he senses he’s in danger. Because he is born far-sighted (sees things in the distance better than up-close), he has the distinct advantage of being forewarned to run for safety, long before a predator even seeks to overtake him.  Bunny eyes are clearly, built for survival! But there is one more, often overlooked, fact that draws my attention to rabbit’s eyes over all the rest.   Bunnies have no tapetum lucidium. This is the part of the eyes that allows nocturnal animals to see clearly in darkness.  It’s also the very reason I believe that when God created the bunny, He equipped him for thriving in the daylight…not in the darkness. Are you aware that as human beings, we also have no tapetum lucidium in our eyes?   Perhaps we, like that baby bunny, are not meant for living our lives in darkness either.  It’s more solid evidence to my heart that God designed human beings,too, for thriving in the light…not in darkness.

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“Everything in the physical world is caused by something in the spiritual world.” —Emanuel Swedenborg—

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Eighteenth century, Christian theologian, Emanuel Swedenborg once said, “Everything in the physical world is caused by something in the spiritual world.”  Concerning our survival in life, it’s clear in both the physical world as well as the spiritual realm, that there is nothing lifegiving about darkness. It’s always associated with chaos, fear and death.  When God created the world, the scriptures tell us in Genesis 1:2-4,

 “The earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface…” but then, God said, “Let there be light and there was light.  God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from darkness.”

 Moving from darkness to light seems to be a pattern that is displayed throughout all of creation over and over again. At our birth we emerge from the darkness of our mother’s womb into the light of day. Even the season of Spring itself is one story after another of darkness giving way to the light. Plants find their way to sunshine through dark soils… dead grasses and barren, branches spring to new life in the light after enduring a season of winter’s darkness. Darkness and light define everything in life, visible and invisible.  Spiritually speaking, the most powerful example of this truth came the day Jesus arose from the dead, and walked out of the darkness of the tomb; and into the light and new life on the other side of the grave. He left Death and Darkness behind him forever! He stands now before you and I as “The Light of the world.”

Because Jesus left the Darkness behind Him… His followers are called to do the same.  Perhaps that’s why it bothered me so as I watched that little bunny struggling to leave his birth hollow.    Repeatedly, the bunny chose the darkness of his rabbit hole instead of the warm, sunshine flooding the doorstep of the world beyond the woodpile.  God equipped him with keen instincts and an amazing set of multi-directional, super-eyes, hand-crafted by God, for both spotting his enemies and guiding his feet in the beauty and wonders of a world flooded with sunshine.  The freedom he was meant to experience beyond the woodpile, was his for the choosing.  But he chose poorly.

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” Jesus left Death and Darkness behind Him forever! He now stands before you and I as ‘The Light of the World.‘”

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Our souls, too, must make a similar choice in life, but ours is the difference between choosing Heaven or Hell. Yes, we can continue cowering in fear at the doorway of the darkness this sinful world has to offer us … or choose to step out into the Light of God’s Love, and live the life of abundance our Creator designed us to live. He’s equipped us with the power of reason and gifted us with the eyes of our hearts so that we may distinguish clearly, between Light and darkness…. Friend or foe…Life or death…Heaven or hell.  You and I can be sure there’s new life waiting for us just outside of any darkness we find ourselves hiding in.  It’s ours for the asking. My prayer is that we may find the courage to  choose to step into a new season…the New Life waiting for us in the Light; and allow God to awaken our hearts to the Beauty of His Presence, alive all around us!  Hear the whispers of Jesus beckoning your soul to choose wisely:

“I am the Light that has come into the world so that all who believe in Me won’t have to stay any longer in the dark.”  (John 12:46 MSG)

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PRAYER:

Gracious Heavenly Father of mine, the Spring Season is such a reminder to my heart of  the arrival of new hope and fresh beginnings!  The beauty of this season almost makes me forget about the darkness of winter that came before it. Seeing the ground waking-up and hearing the robins singing Your praises into dawn’s light, are tangible reminders to my heart that the darkness of this world can never overcome The Light!  Your promises of New Life and Hope are real and meant for all those who choose to step beyond the darkness of their own woodpiles in life; and into Your Light.  May we never forget that You, Jesus, left the darkness that tried to hold You in the grave …and we can too. All of us are one choice away from salvation. You are the ONLY One Who can turn our darkness into Light.

 In Jesus Name…. AMEN

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