Light in Darkness

This time of year can be difficult for many people. The days are shorter and the weather colder. There are many social expectations for the holidays with parties and sometimes tense family gatherings. We’re preparing to close out one year and start another. And in the midst of it all, we’re supposed to be extra thankful and joyful as we remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Sometimes it just feels like too much. It’s no wonder that Seasonal Affective Disorder returns for a significant percentage of people.

I’ve mentioned before that one of my favorite songs of the season is Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December.” It’s a reminder that this is not always a happy time for everyone, but it also reminds me that the seasons of life keep changing and could feel significantly different a few months from now.

Some of the “darker” Christmas songs* don’t get much airtime. A small group at my church recently discussed the song “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” While it references some of the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus, it’s also realistic about the fact that we live in the “already but not yet.” We don’t yet experience the fullness of freedom from captivity, mourning, death, envy, and strife. Although God came to be with us, we wait for the day when He will come again to make all things new.

I’ve been reading a chronological Bible this year, and it’s been interesting reading Revelation during Advent season. Contrary to the beliefs of some, the world is not going to get progressively better until the end of time. There will be war, plagues, death, and destruction, but all God’s people will be preserved for eternity with Him.

Earlier this year there was an episode about Revelation on the Being Human podcast that I skipped over because I figured I’d disagree with some eschatology. However, I listened to it this week and found it uplifting. They note that the point of Revelation is not to outline the specific details of the end times, but to encourage those who are living through it. Like all of Scripture, it points us to our Creator and Redeemer, and gives us reason to endure to the end.

We may not always see great beacons of light in the darkness, but there are always pinpoints directing our attention to God and the path He has laid for us. We may go through dark valleys, but He is always by our side.

In an episode of the CCEF podcast on gratitude, they noted that “gratitude is actually meant to coexist with sorrow, not replace it.” It’s possible to live in seasons of darkness, difficulty, and mourning and still find reasons for gratitude in what God has done, is doing, and will do.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:5, 14).

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* Listen along:

In the Bleak Midwinter

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Out of Balance

I’ve often heard it said that in most churches, 10-20% of the people do 80-90% of the work. That may be more perception than reality; however, as the one who reviews every church report submitted to the denominational office, I can attest how infrequently I have to change the church officers and committee heads listed in our database. I think there may be several reasons for this trend, some good and some not so good, and probably some I have not yet thought of.

• Some people are genuinely gifted and called to fill a particular role. I particularly give thanks for those who are skilled to serve as church treasurers, because that is more complicated than just balancing a checkbook.
• Some people don’t know how to say no. I’ve heard it said that if you want to find people for a committee, look at the ones who are already serving in multiple roles, because they’ll probably say yes. That doesn’t mean they are necessarily the best person for all those positions.
• Some people desire control or recognition. They hold onto roles because they don’t trust others to do things the way they think they should be done, or they want their name attached to some success.
• Some people say, “I’ve served my time, find someone younger.” Retirement from all forms of service is not a biblical concept. Although the Levites were allowed to change roles at the age of 50 they didn’t stop serving (Num. 8:23-26). Certainly there are physical or mental limitations for some people, but often that is not the reason for the excuse.
• Some people have never been asked where they might be willing and able to serve. One reason that young people leave the church is that they don’t feel they belong or are useful to the ministry. They may need a little training, but that’s how the church continues to function and grow.

I do want to address the second category—those who don’t know how to say no, because I am often one of them. I didn’t think that was the case until I started noticing the things that frustrate me, and it’s often stuff I don’t really want to do but feel obligated. How many times do our relationships suffer because we are too busy doing what other people want? Pastors and leaders burn out, kids and spouses feel neglected, and we start to resent the very people we think we are serving.

One way to address the problem is to ask yourself some questions: What is my motivation for doing or not doing this particular job? Am I doing it to serve God, or just because someone asked me? Am I trying to fill some underlying need for approval or recognition? What might this cost me in terms of time, energy, aggravation, rest, and peace? Is there someone else who could do the job better, or who could use the experience? Have I actually prayed about this?

There will be times when personal sacrifice is necessary, but that is not always the case. An old song says it’s better to burn out than to rust out, but I don’t believe God wants us to do either one. When Jesus was on earth, He took time off to pray (Luke 5:16), spend time at a wedding (John 2:2), and sleep in the boat (Matt. 8:24). He did spend a lot of time teaching and healing the sick, but He also knew when to say no in order to focus on His priorities (Mark 1:35-38).

It’s tempting to say that motives don’t matter, only results matter. But God knows our hearts better than we do. Laboring for selfish reasons and impure motives will be revealed in the end.

“Each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:13-15).

All those plaques and recognition awards we receive will probably be found in the firewood in the end, and that’s not a bonfire I want to fuel! Read through Matthew 6 and note how many times the word “reward” shows up, and how our heavenly Father takes note. May we serve Him alone.

“He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Cor. 5:15).

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

In His Time

This blog is an unexpected postscript to yesterday’s post.

I was reading an article in a secular magazine where a man was recounting his travels in Europe. In the middle of the article he commented, “I’ve chosen to eventually pursue a medically assisted life exit.” (I had to wonder why he was buying souvenirs on his trip!) His blasé attitude toward death disturbed me more than I expected. We’ve all heard of people who have committed suicide in order to escape a devastating disease (muscular dystrophy in this man’s case), but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone planning their farewell tour in this manner. I don’t know anything about this person or what he believes about life and death, but I prayed that he would encounter God’s arresting presence.

For the Christian, there is no easy way to ignore Scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” And from one of my favorite chapters, Psalm 139:16, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Choosing death is a denial of God’s authority as both our Creator and Redeemer. It is sin (though not unforgivable as some believe), and it is hurtful to those who love us.

It's easy to wish for a way out from the challenges of life, but I know I could not choose that because of how it would impact friends and family. Even the Apostle Paul desired to depart this life, but knew he needed to remain as long as God had determined (Phil. 1:23-26). None of us want to live with broken bodies and minds, but we are not the ‘master of our fate or the captain of our soul.’ There is only One who can claim that role, and He recorded our days long before we were even a glimmer in the eyes of our parents. If He desires for us to go on living, He will provide the strength to endure. Our job is to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33), not our own comfort or expediency. By His grace He has given us life, and by His mercy He has determined our days.

May we never be inclined to second-guess our Creator and Sustainer!

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him’” (Lam. 3:22-24).

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

In His Image

The September 2025 issue of Christianity Today included an article by John Swinton titled, “It Was ‘Good’ Not Perfect,” on how the church views disability. He makes the statement:

Some of our errors in theology around disability stem from a reading of the Genesis creation narrative that idealizes Adam and Eve as perfect examples of human beings. The implication is that there was not disability in the Garden of Eden and therefore disability must have arisen after the Fall… While Eden was originally untainted by sin, the Bible does not suggest that creation was perfect in the sense of flawlessness or static idealism.

Instead, the divine pronouncement is that the creation is good (tov in Hebrew). This word, in its biblical and theological context, does not imply perfection or uniformity but denotes relational integrity, aesthetic richness, diversity, and the capacity for fruitful, dynamic life and connection.

While I agree with many of his points in the article, in particular the definition of the imago Dei as a relational concept and not mental or physical abilities, I struggle with some of his ideas. By his interpretation, even if Adam and Eve had not sinned by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, there would still be people who live with cerebral palsy (the example he used to start the article) and other mental and physical illnesses, disabilities, and diseases. Toward the end, Swinton does note:

Many forms of disability are not experienced as benign differences and should not be idealized… Suffering is real. And for some, it is relentless. Yet we are not without hope: In the new heavens and new earth, Christ will wipe away every tear, and mourning, crying, and pain will cease (Rev. 21:4). But this does not mean that disabled bodies fall outside the scope of creation’s goodness. All human lives bear the imprint of fragility; every body carries its own marks of limitation and vulnerability.

It is certainly true that God created a wide variety of people with differing gifts and abilities, and some of those may be things that some people would consider disabilities. (Consider books like Neurodivergent Genius by Ralph Rickenbach.) And in the new creation there may be variations among people that we don’t expect to see, which is indicative of our limited understanding of Creation and of science in general.

But the Fall did have profound impacts on all areas of life—physical, mental, relational, and of course spiritual. When it comes to disability and suffering, we must rely on God’s sovereignty. We can turn to Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.” And in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

God can and will use all sorts of people and circumstances for His purposes; therefore, we can take heart when life seems harder than we think it ought to. Our limitations do not erase God’s image from us or prevent God from working in and through us. Accepting our limitations does not preclude a desire for something different or better. We can be content with who we are in this life and yet still long for the Day when all will be made truly perfect.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us… For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Rom. 8: 18, 22-23).

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Here are a couple related articles to ponder:

https://www.andrewcorbett.net/articles/theology/was-the-original-creation-perfect/

https://crossexamined.org/was-gods-original-creation-perfect/

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Higher Ground

Recently in an office meeting icebreaker, we were asked what our favorite old hymn is. I shared that since I was about 4 years old my favorite has been “Higher Ground,” but I wasn’t sure why. That was the song I always wanted my mom to request during hymn sings, though I was too shy to request it myself.

As I’ve thought about it since then, I have a few ideas why it appeals to me. One influence is that I’ve always liked heights. I’ve been told that I would climb up on the back of the couch before I could even walk much. I enjoyed riding on my dad’s shoulders when I was little. I’ve spent many hours in trees (though not so much in recent years), and now after I clean out my gutters I like to hang out on the roof for a while. I would far rather spend my vacation hiking in the mountains than anywhere else. A favorite memory from college was visiting the Alps on two occasions. So even before I had much understanding of faith and theology, I liked the idea of being lifted up to a higher plane.

These days I resonate with the thought of life’s journey going through hills and mountains, and I want to find myself maturing and gaining ground over time. “My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay,” though I know that is a normal part of this life. There is great comfort in knowing that the trials of life will one day come to an end. There’s also great assurance in remembering that God is the One who leads us on through the whole way. As David wrote in Psalm 37:23-24, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled down, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand” (NASB). And God will complete the work He has begun in us (Phil. 1:6).

Though I don’t know for sure, I suspect the author, Johnson Oatman, was inspired in part by Psalm 121:

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber… The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore” (vv. 1-3, 8).

We look up to the massive mountains and remember that the One who created them is not only more powerful, but He is intimately involved in our lives every day. Nothing escapes His notice or care.

I’m reminded also of the end of the Chronicles of Narnia where they enter the new Narnia and learn,

“‘The further up and the further in you go, the bigger everything gets. The inside is larger than the outside’… But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before” (The Last Battle, 180, 184).

One day we’ll get to enjoy that new reality in the presence of our Creator, Lord, and Savior. Until then we follow the path laid out for us by our Shepherd and Friend. I had to pause while writing this in order to watch the livestreamed funeral of a young woman who’d battled cancer for many years. Her life was a testimony of pressing on in faith, and through her funeral “faith has caught the joyful sound, the song of saints on higher ground.”

I want to scale the utmost height

and catch a gleam of glory bright;

but still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,

“Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”

Lord, lift me up and let me stand

by faith on heaven’s table-land;

A higher plane than I have found—

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

“Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13b-14).

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

What Do You Long For?

I’ve been spending an extended time in Psalm 119 as I’m reading Charles Spurgeon’s Daily Treasury from the Psalms. It can be tempting to speed through the 176 verses to check off one more psalm, but there are things worth stopping to ponder along the way. Consider these few verses:

40- Behold, I long for Your precepts; in Your righteousness give me life!

81-82- My soul longs for Your salvation; I hope in Your word. My eyes long for Your promise; I ask, “When will You comfort me?”

123- My eyes long for Your salvation and for the fulfillment of Your righteous promise.

131- I open my mouth and pant, because I long for Your commandments.

174- I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight.

The original Hebrew uses a few different words that are translated as “long for” in the ESV. Some other translations use “faint” or “fail” in verses 81-82. In any case, the idea is a strong desire and need. I suspect most of us don’t long for God’s commandments and precepts like this.

However, if we include all of the promises and truths of Scripture, I would hope that every Christian desires and relies on them. The Bible is our source of hope for every aspect of salvation, sanctification, and the glory that is to come, because in it we see how God works all things together for the fulfillment of His promises. Spurgeon notes:

“This is an intense longing that is not satisfied to express itself with the lips but speaks with the eyes. Eyes can speak eloquently; they sometimes say more than tongues… Especially are our eyes eloquent when they begin to fail with weariness and woe… and so heaven shall be taken by storm with the artillery of tears.”

While we endure through this life, there are many times for tears—conflict between factions, relational challenges, struggles with sin, unmet needs, illness, weakness, death. We may weep with the desire to see God bring swift resolution.

The older I get, the more I long for the final consummation of God’s plan of redemption. As we’ve been reminded recently, no one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return, but we look forward to the end of the craziness of this life and the beginning of a perfect eternity. For many people that Day will come unexpectedly and will be filled with great fear and anguish. But for many others around the globe it will bring great rejoicing, for our longings will finally be fulfilled when we see Christ.

“But in accordance with His promise we expectantly await new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pet. 3:13 Amp).

© 2025 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Enduring Love

I was thinking this morning of Psalm 136 and the reminder to “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever” (v. 1). When you read through the whole psalm, it is tempting to skim over the repeated refrain “for His steadfast love endures forever” as the author recounts the exodus from Egypt. But that refrain may actually be the part we need to remember most. God’s steadfast love really does endure forever.

On this particular day we remember the events of 9/11, and we also are saddened by the news of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. We live in a sinful and broken world, and yet God’s steadfast love endures forever.

A child wanders off and dies. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Another family adopts a child. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

One person lives decades with chronic illness. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Another person dies at a young age. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Some nations are perpetual battlegrounds. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Some nations enjoy centuries of peace. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

When we are on the mountaintop, God’s steadfast love endures forever.

When we are in the deepest valleys, God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Michael Card wrote about Romans 5, “If we dared to be honest with Paul or ourselves or God, we might mutter that we were hoping for a little more than just hope as we huddle in our worn-out, earthly, cancer-ridden, death impregnated tents. But as he so often does, Paul anticipates our response. “Hope does not disappoint us,” he counters, because God has poured something into these hearts that beat so feebly behind the worn-out flaps of our earthly tent. He has poured His love into them through His Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5)” (The Hidden Face of God, ch. 26).

No matter what happens in our lives or in the world around us, God’s love never changes. That is what we hold onto and gives us comfort and hope when things go wrong. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever” (Ps. 125:1). God’s love helps us to endure the hard times and to keep faith when we don’t understand. Let us cling to Him as firmly as He holds onto us.

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word” (2 Thess. 2:16-17).

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!” (Ps. 118:1).

© 2025 Text and image Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.