Light

"This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all."-1 John 1:5

I ponder this as I look up at the lights that hang in my patio. I think of this scripture and others that consistantly point us to the fact that God is light. 

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."-John 1:5 

I realize as I look up at the tiny glowing string of lights, that I've turned them on prematurely. The sun is still out and I can barely see them, but dusk is beginning to arrive.

Another scripture comes to mind as I watch the sun slowly slip behind the trees.

The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? -Psalm 27:1 

Darkness overcomes the sky as I think of the events of the past few weeks. Pandemic. Uncertainty. isolation. fear. All words that seem to relate to each other in profound ways. I add to this word association...darkness. Before I can dwell too long on this string of words that has now caught my attention more deeply than the string of  lights, I realize something unmistakable. 

As the  darkness takes over the sky the lights become brighter. They illuminate the space around me and glow with beautiful efficiency.  The darker it gets, the brighter they are. My mind falls back on the scripures. It's in the dark days that Gods light shines the brightest. When I focused my eyes on the dark sky I missed the warm glow of the lights. Sometimes when we focus on the dark times of our lives we miss the beautiful light of Christ all together. It's right in front of us like the string of lights; alluminating our path and bringing us comfort in that which we cannot see. 

While I sat in the warm glow of my patio, I was once again reminded that although we may be uncertain of the darkness that surrounds us, we have a promise in the light that guides our way. 


"Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them."-John 12:35-36 

Not only is Jesus our light but His light shines through us by way of the Holy Spirit. Each one of us like the string of lights helps to alluminate the world. One tiny light can only light so much but a string of lights alluminates an entire patio. When we come together as believers and followers of Christ, we too come together like a string of lights alluminating the world. 

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."-Matthew 5:14-16

Regardless of what kind of darkness this world might bring....we have a light that the darkness can never overcome.

- Pastor Patti