FLASHLIGHTS
Today's reading: Proverbs 20-21

"The Lord's searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive." Proverbs 20:27 NLT

We've got a variety of flashlights here on the farm.

We have the free, from a prescription salesman, penlight that's used to look down a scratchy throat.

We have the run-of-the-mill flashlight we keep on the shelf to be used in case of power outages or bad weather.

We have the basket full of dollar-store flashlights that are lacking batteries.

We have the hunting flashlights that the elder of the house has off limits to his small child--and wife.

We also have, and I do wish I had sound effects for this one, the big-boy of our lighted arsenal, the 'barn flashlight'!

The barn flashlight is a heavy-duty, impact resistant, requiring what seems to be at least 12 D batteries (or better yet a car battery) and puts out a beam of light that would blind a blind man three counties over. It serves a very useful purpose here on the farm...if I am ever called to go outside and check the animals after dark, I want (have) to see everything clearly. I do not want to walk into a hole dug in the yard by our neighbor's dog. I do not want to be frightened by the barn cat brushing past my legs in the pitch black night. I do not want to stumble over the 3 bikes, 2 shovels and one homemade tee-pee the smaller of our family has undoubtedly left in the yard. I need a good light, so I turn to the 'barn flashlight'.

Oh sure, there are other times when the little penlight is sufficient, the dollar flashlight works just fine and we happen to have a handful of batteries to put in the basket-ed torches.

Same's true with God's searchlight. There are days He uses a little light to cast away any shadows of doubt I'm facing. There are times when my path is unsure and His light brightens my way. And there are days, oh are there days, when He hauls out his 'barn flashlight' to do a little lighting up of the darkest parts of my heart.