Heart of Darkness

Joseph Conrad had lived a life of adventure. Born in Poland on this day in 1857, he spent much of his youth serving in the British and French merchant marines. His sea voyages brought him to many exotic locations and gave him adventures he later developed into literary classics.

His 1899 novella, Heart of Darkness, has been ranked among the best books ever written. As the title suggests, this work explored the dark side of human nature. The narrative followed the journeys of a man who journeyed deep into Africa’s Congo region. Conrad used the symbolism of the characters and remote Africa to describe the human heart.

The Bible presents a similar picture. No matter how good we might seem, the reality is that every heart is dark. Even people who seem the best are flawed. Those who seem “good” fall short and even those who have the best intentions make mistakes.The Bible tells us that, all of us are corrupted by sin. No matter how hard we try, we cannot make ourselves good enough. In fact, the Bible declares that “there is none righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10).

The simple fact is that all of us need a Savior. That is why Jesus came into the world. That He could live a sinless life and be our substitute. That because of Him our sins can be forgiven, and we can be clean. This promise is true for everyone, even the vilest criminal. The Bible promises that our sins may be like scarlet, but God can make them “white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).

Make sure that your heart is white and pure and you have allowed Jesus to take away all darkness. Thank Him for all that He has done for you!