(Here is a blog I wrote back in February of 2013. This was during the darkest season of my soul. During this time, God in his mercy, gave me a beautiful piece of hope through the imagery of Light.)
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Light is such a fitting image of our God. Light brings clarity. Light illuminates. It enables us to know where we are going. It brings many a sense of comfort. The rays of light from our sun even bring literal health to our bodies when delivered in healthy proportions. Light also scrutinizes, though. It allows us to know the truth behind the facades.
Light brings forth the imagery of joy, leaping, dancing, and running in my own mind. Light is warm on my skin. Light lets me read and type these very words on my computer—despite the time of day’s darkness all around me outside.
Light is used synonymously with the idea of easy when it’s describing a workload. Light even signifies less unhealthy ingredients are included in a mixture. ‘Light’ as a feather refers to a literal weight of an object or a feeling that is pleasantly the opposite of burdensome.
Whichever way the word is used, and regardless of whether its usage is literal or figurative, the word, light, always seems to have a positive connotation surrounding it. But may favorite way of thinking about the word, light, is when I’m comparing it to Jesus.
John 1:5 reads, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.“
I read this verse in the Bible this evening, and it really made my soul feel—well—light. I remember having learned in school that in this part of the Bible, the writer was analogously referring to Jesus as being the light of the world. Below is Angel’s non-literal paraphrasing of this verse:
Jesus shines in the midst of your darkness—whether the darkness represents your sorrow, anger, fear, or even the evil ‘spots’ on your soul—Jesus sees it all and doesn’t flinch. In fact, he exposes it. And guess what? Your form of darkness has not—and will not—be able to run or hide for long.
If you know the light, you love the light. But if you’ve been in the dark a good while, the light can be uncomfortable and even a bit painful when initially being exposed to it. But that excuse quickly becomes a moot point in light of the joy of standing in the…light…
I will proclaim this truth until the day I die. And then I’ll exclaim this truth in the form of gratitude to Jesus: my darkness will never overcome Jesus’ light. Thank God! Neither my biggest fears, my deepest despair, my most venomous anger, nor my most heinously evil desires stand a chance. For the light Jesus radiates is a light of love, and this love conquers all.
Thank you, God. Shine down your light on me.
Hear this old school song, which I used to sing as a little girl, but only now am beginning to understand the lyrics to: Shine Down by Sandi Patty.
