(1 Peter 2:9) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. In the natural realm, darkness can be a crippling and frightening thing. The story is told of a missionary who was on board ship one dark night when suddenly he was awakened by the frantic cry of "Man overboard!" Immediately he arose from his bunk, grabbed the portable lamp from its bracket, and held it at the window of his cabin. He couldn't see anything, but the next morning he was told that the flash of his lamp through the porthole emitted just enough light to enable those on deck to see the missing man clinging to a rope. They rescued him seconds before his strength would have given out. The light had shone just in time to save the man's life. In the spiritual realm, darkness is even more devastating because it represents sin with all its disastrous consequences. (1John 1:5-6)says, "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” Unbelievers are characterized as children of darkness. (2 Corinthians 4:4) says, “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” They LOVE darkness and REJECT light because they don't want their evil deeds to be exposed. (John3:19-20). Christians, however, have been called out of darkness into God's marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). That refers to God's taking the initiative to save us. As an unredeemed sinner, I could never have turned from darkness on my own because I had neither the ability nor the desire to do so. God had to grant me saving grace and the illumination of His Spirit so I could recognize truth and respond accordingly. That blessed privilege is known only to Christians. What a joy, not only to recognize God's truth, but also to walk in it daily!