You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Ephesians 5:8
On a recent walk I was fascinated to see a termite tunnel crossing the gravel path I was on. In the same area there is a lot of termite activity but the tracks usually wind their way up trees where the termites proceed to busy themselves making a large nest which often later becomes a nest for local birds. Termites also make their way into houses and destroy the inner framework. They can go undetected for a long time and do enormous damage. I have heard of houses having to be demolished because termites had totally destroyed the frame and only the walls were holding the house up. I also read that termite damage in Australia costs $910 million annually.
So what was the message from the termite track? It started a train of thought for me about the habit of these particular termites. The first thing about them is that they don’t just walk across the path or up the tree in the light. They hate the light so they build themselves a nice dark tunnel from which to do their undermining work.
I was reminded of the verse “……….men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19). In Christ we are children of the light and we should beware of any temptation to hide from the light. If there is anything in our life that is hidden, any critical spirit, any unforgiveness, any pride, jealousy, selfishness, sexual sin, anything at all that is contrary to what is pleasing to God, then it has to be brought to the light, confessed and forsaken. If not, it does an undermining work in our life just like the termites do, until eventually we are destroyed or, at the least, crippled by it.
On a recent walk I was fascinated to see a termite tunnel crossing the gravel path I was on. In the same area there is a lot of termite activity but the tracks usually wind their way up trees where the termites proceed to busy themselves making a large nest which often later becomes a nest for local birds. Termites also make their way into houses and destroy the inner framework. They can go undetected for a long time and do enormous damage. I have heard of houses having to be demolished because termites had totally destroyed the frame and only the walls were holding the house up. I also read that termite damage in Australia costs $910 million annually.
So what was the message from the termite track? It started a train of thought for me about the habit of these particular termites. The first thing about them is that they don’t just walk across the path or up the tree in the light. They hate the light so they build themselves a nice dark tunnel from which to do their undermining work.
I was reminded of the verse “……….men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19). In Christ we are children of the light and we should beware of any temptation to hide from the light. If there is anything in our life that is hidden, any critical spirit, any unforgiveness, any pride, jealousy, selfishness, sexual sin, anything at all that is contrary to what is pleasing to God, then it has to be brought to the light, confessed and forsaken. If not, it does an undermining work in our life just like the termites do, until eventually we are destroyed or, at the least, crippled by it.
In Song of Solomon 2:15 it says, “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines.” It’s often the small things that we think don’t matter that can do a lot of damage. We are encouraged to be holy. 1 Peter 1:15 says “….be holy in all your conduct because it is written “Be holy for I am holy.”
God does not give us instruction to spoil our fun or to make our lives dull. His desire is for us to live life in all its fullness. Doing things His way will bring us freedom and joy. Get rid of those termites that are “spoiling your vines”, quietly yet purposefully eating away at your freedom and your joy. Be who you are, a child of the light.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you that you bought my freedom from the hidden works of darkness. Help me to walk in your light and know the joy of total freedom in you. Amen
