Healing In Darkness

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. (John 3:14-21)

Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert.  It was of bronze and, according to Exodus, it cured Moses’ people of snakebites – snakes sent by God because of their lack of faith and evil words.  They didn’t want to be in the desert where they wandered with little food and water.  No wonder their faith was shaken and they spoke ill of God, and Moses, their leader.  But, they did not perish; they were healed by the snake on the pole raised at God’s command to Moses.

We are to venture into the dark that should not always be associated with evil. We are to bring our light with us – that would be the light of Christ we are to lift up and keep burning brightly through our faith we must always reenergize like changing flashlight batteries with fresh ones.  

We should use snakes around the shaft of our flashlights like doctors use snakes around their logo to depict medicine and healing.  The Rod of Asclepius (single snake with no wings at top) dates back to the 16th century and differs from the Caduceus of Hermes (two snakes on staff with wings at the top).  Asclepius was the son of Apollo the god of medicine and healing.

Night is as natural as day, and it is at night when we find peace through quiet and sleep. We heal during sleep. Complete darkness may scare us, but there is nothing evil except that we project from us onto darkness such as our fears and unseen creatures of the night wanting to do us harm.  

When we fear the dark, let’s remember Jesus raised up on a staff – his cross.  We believe he died for our sins.  He did not fear the dark and neither should we.  

Deacon David Pierce