The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1.5)
Light is dangerous. It comes to us in various ways, matchsticks, lightbulbs, the sun. To live our lives we absolutely need illumination. We would stumble painfully through life—if life would even be possible—without a light that radiates through and anchors our existence. In this way, light is crucial and beloved. But light is not tame. It can burn our skin as we beneath it too long. It can sear our fingertips if we hold it directly. It exposes the deformities that darkness so easily veils. This can produce in the hearts of humanity a momentary discomfort or an immense fury.
As time turns minutes to days, weeks to lifetimes, men and women turn small pockets of darkness into ever-engulfing shadows. Sin seeks not only manipulate the darkened lives of humanity, but to control us through crippling blindness. We look at the dictators and cultural corruptors and ask ourselves, “How did humanity fall so far? How disabled can we become?”
Ultimately, wicked humanity cannot stop the brilliance of Jesus the light. The darkness sealing men and women’s souls must yield to His unstoppable radiance. He cannot be vanquished. All men, women and children will stand in the light of Life and, as His Spirit moves through the darkest caverns of our souls, He will call us to freedom, to healing, to intimacy. He calls us to the danger of peace, the all-consuming fire of His Holiness, the indestructible passion of His enduring love.
Jesus, thank you for calling me into your light and not leaving me to be overcome by the darkness of my own sinfulness