Have you ever been in a dark room, void of all light? It’s complete darkness. You light a single candle, and you can see the tiny flame. There is far more darkness than light in the room, but the light wins! It always wins!
As a child growing up on a farm in southwestern Nebraska, there were many times when we would lose power from the storms. At night it would be so dark that you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. My mom would bring out a candle or the kerosene lantern and light it. The small flame would light up in front of us and slowly fill the whole room with a soft glow.
We would gather around the table and play games until the power came back on or until bedtime. At bedtime, she would carry the light through the hallway to our bedrooms and kiss us goodnight and walk away taking the light with her. Darkness filling the room and we would rest in knowing the light would return with the morning sun.
Light is so significant in the Christian faith. God’s love and protection are described as “light in the darkness” throughout scripture. The thing that is challenging about God’s light is that the world’s “darkness” is always working hard to hide it or dim it so that it is harder to see.
Today…April 8, 2024, we will be experiencing the astronomical phenomenon of a solar eclipse. In some areas the light of the sun will be hidden from view by the moon. This darkness will not block the sun for long, any more than the tomb could hold our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Jesus…the light of the world! The light always wins!
Jesus is our light. He conquered death and darkness when He rose from the grave. His light is transformational and transferrable. When He shines His light into our hearts, we glow, and we can cast that light on others. Just like a candle, it doesn’t take much of Jesus’ light to reach a person who is lost in the dark.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:14-16 “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.” As followers of Jesus, we are called to live differently from the ways of the world…to be light spreaders. To be His hands and feet, shining His light everywhere we go.
Let us embrace the enduring light of Jesus, drawing from its strength and hope so that the challenges, disappointments, and uncertainties of life can’t “eclipse” the joy that comes from knowing our victory through Jesus’ resurrection. Let us open our eyes to where we can be the light in our world. What corners of our community need light? Do you have neighbors that you pass by daily, but know nothing about? Do your children have friends that could use a listening ear? Where is the “darkness” hiding in our world? It’s time to be the light. All it takes is a small flame for God to swallow up a whole lot of darkness. Or as the song states…”it only takes a spark to get a fire going.” Let the light of Jesus living in you be that spark.