N. V. G. (Night Vision Goggles)

When Night Vision Goggles came into use it revolutionised the way we carry out night ops and work in the dark. Some NVG’s are so effective that you can almost see like it’s light out. We have them on our helmets and can drive vehicles at night without the aid of headlights. It’s still precarious though, because you can only see so far ahead of you, so proceeding with caution is still a wise move.

In many ways we live in an often dark world in which we need soldiers willing to go on our behalf to stand and fight evil where it lurks. Closer to home we have our own inner struggles with darkness and we would often give anything for some light to be shed upon our problems to see our way ahead more clearly. I think sometimes it’s a mercy that we can only see so far ahead, because if we knew what lay ahead, we would crumble in fear at the thought. Hence we are given one moment at a time to live and operate in. For this we need some illumination.

“The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can not overcome it.”

John 1:4-5

In the Bible, Jesus is often referred to with many different names according to His natural characteristics: The Word, The Way, The Truth and The Light of the World among many others. If you join these characteristics together you get the Word which brings light and truth and shows us the way. The Bible was given by God to reveal Himself to us: it shows us who we are; where we come from; why we behave like we do; why the world is broken; what the solution is to fix it. It ultimately reveals Jesus, Gods son, The light of the world who brings His light into our dark world.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to light my pathway.”

Psalm 119:105

The expression above, from the psalms, “a lamp to my feet and a light to my pathway” is not only metaphorical, but practical too. At the time this was written, nighttime in the wilderness would have been extremely dark. The only way to ensure safe footing in the dark is to hold the lamp down by your feet. If you were to hold it up, it would not do your night vision much good as it blinds you, and you certainly wouldn’t be able to see the ground where your feet have to tread. By lighting the pathway by your feet, you can see just enough light to walk by without stumbling, but not too much that you can see danger beyond the scope of light and therefore be unnecessarily afraid (this is why we live in time and space, as seeing things as they really are in all their incompressible dimensions would blow our minds). We therefore, must walk in the light shed before us, in order to find our way in the dark.

It’s important to grasp in life that however much we plan for the future, we can only ever see what’s right in front of us and no further. The future is always in Gods hands; our pathway to life is the Word, Jesus who brings light and truth and shows us the way home.

To navigate our way through dark times – seek Jesus, the Word who is the source of light to find your way along the sometimes dark paths of life.