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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Light and Dark (05/21/09)
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." (Genesis 1:2-5)

Empty and dark. . . when describing a house, it’s very uninviting. Who knows what is lurking in an empty and dark house -- it conjures up all sorts of adjectives - cold, scary, depressing, evil. For me it brings to mind visions of a haunted house with a few dried leaves clinging to limbs that scratch against the sides of the house while lightning rips across the darkness, destroying everything it touches.

Empty and dark. . . .that is how Genesis describes the earth before God transformed it. Empty and dark. . . . it also describes us before God transforms us. Just like an empty and dark house, we are cold, scared, depressed and evil. As the dying tree branches flail against the dark and empty house, the things and people we surround ourselves with flail and scratch at us until we are battered and broken. Trouble, like a flash of lightning, is always on the horizon, threatening to destroy us.

God hovered over the dark water millions of years ago and created something beautiful from nothing. Now He hovers over us, completely willing to create something beautiful in us. He patiently waits for those in darkness and emptiness to call out to Him. When the call comes, God will always say, “Let there be light”. He will separate each of us from darkness as easily and swiftly as He separated day from night. When the Light comes, the emptiness will fade away as He creates a peacefulness that can never be duplicated by the empty darkness of the old haunted house.

Empty and dark. . . .in the beginning that is the house we all live in. It’s cold, scary, depressing and evil. Some of us live in that house for only a little while and some of us have stayed and redecorated several times, trying to wallpaper over the emptiness and darkness to no avail. If you are contemplating calling the decorator again, maybe you just need some Light.
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This article has been read 1414 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Jan Ackerson
06/01/09
Very good use of repetition here!
Yvonne Blake 
06/01/09
Oh, I love the analogy! Well done.
Bryan Ridenour
06/03/09
Nice devotional feel. Good work.
Patricia Herchenroether
06/03/09
Well done. A very good analogy and well-written.
Carol Slider 
06/03/09
Great analogy! I especially liked "wallpaper over the emptiness..." How original, and yet sadly true.
Loren T. Lowery
06/03/09
Enjoyed your devotional and the way you presented it. I especially liked your concluding paragraph. Right on and of course, write on : )
Colin Swann
06/03/09
Enjoyed your devotional piece. Good writing - Thanks.

Colin
Sara Harricharan
06/03/09
Nice job! I enjoyed the read and the way the repeated lines carried more emphasis to this piece.
Pamela Kliewer 
06/03/09
Great devotional.
Lollie Hofer 
06/03/09
Please don't apologize for this wonderful devotional. Loved the continuation of dark & light throughout. You had some good thoughts.
Brenda Kern 
06/03/09
First, move up a level, pronto, or maybe two levels. This writing is not at a beginner level.

This has terrific imagery that appeals to the senses, which always pulls the reader in.

The connecting concepts are good too--earth/house/heart. Work on expounding how these contrast and compare with each other, before and after the cleansing difference of His light.

Good for you!
Catrina Bradley
06/04/09
I love your meaningful comparisons of the world before light to the haunted house and to humans. I'd suggest leaving off the Genesis verse at the beginning and using just the reference as a footnote. You might pull more readers in that way. Great job on this topic!
Deborah Porter 
06/06/09
Hi Scarlett. I just wanted to leave a quick note to let you know your entry, In the Beginning, actually did very well in the Light and Dark Challenge. Although you didn't receive an award, you made it into the Highest Rankings for Level 1, placing 7th in that Level. There were a lot of entries this week, and competition in Level 1 is always very intense, so give yourself a pat on the back. :-)

If you'd like to check the highest rankings for yourself, you can find them here:
http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=25789

The highest rankings are posted every Thursday evening on the Message Boards.

Hope to see you at the FaithWriters' Conference in August. It’s going to be an amazing time of inspiration, information and encouragement.
http://www.faithwriters.com/conference.php

With love, Deb (Challenge Coordinator)