Joyzappers

A couple weeks ago my 6-year-old sister asked a question. She and I were eating supper, Mom was probably on her laptop, and Dad was probably studying for his next class. Now you must understand that my sister is quite the little scientist. She throughly enjoys watching videos on weather, earthquakes, etc. Anyway, my sister's question was this: "Daddy, what are black holes?"



I thought the question was a right fine question myself! Since I didn't know either, I decided to do a little research. While I could go into more detail about black holes here, basically a black hole is an area of space where the gravitational force is so powerful that absolutely nothing can escape--even light. On the other end of the spectrum is the Sun, whose life-giving light permeates our globe and in part sustains humankind.

Wow. Even light can't escape! That must be pretty powerful. I've been thinking a lot about black holes. I've realized that there is quite the spiritual application in this celestial spectrum. On one end is Jesus, the True Son, who gives us life and sustains us both physically and spiritually. He wants us to grow, to live, to love Him. On the other hand in Satan, the black hole. He delights in our downfall. He wants to ruin our life and in the end kill us. Satan in the truest sense is a Joyzapper. He may advertise to us how his ways may be much better, more fun, more attractive than God's ways. But they really aren't. Remember what Adam and Eve found out?? Behind his facade is an overwhelming desire to ruin mankind.

But back to blackholes. As I said, Satan is a black hole, a true joyzapper. He draws us in, as we think that "just a little bit" will be harmless and that we can get out anytime. That doing the wrong thing is more fun, gives us more freedom. But before we know it, Satan has us caught in his fatal grasp. He's zapped all our joy and light out of us.

Jesus talked about the light within us in Matthew 6:22, 23:

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (italics added)

The eyes are where light comes into the body. If all our light and joy is taken away, as Jesus said, "how great is that darkness!"

The simple truth is that we can't get out without the Son's help. If we don't get regular doses of "Sonshine", we will get caught in Satan's joyzapping black holes. Stay connected with the Son. Don't let Satan zap all the joy and light out of you!