“Light is to darkness what love; in the presence of one the other disappears.”
-Marianne Williamson
Light. What comes to your mind when you think of the word light. A radiance on your face on a beautiful sunny day, or perhaps a subtle glow from a lantern in your back- yard on a cool spring night. Perhaps it’s what you may think of someone you know, whose personality bursts with positivity and kindness. Merriam-Webster has a few different definitions of the word. One is, “something that makes vision possible,” an- other defines light as “spiritu- al illumination.” I reflected on this one simple word, and it suddenly brought many sce- narios to mind.
Our state, nation, and world are experiencing trying times or what some folks are referring it to as, “this crazy stuff that’s going on.” We are all dealing with the effects of this pandemic, COVID-19 in different ways. We are experi- encing fear, exhaustion, and stress. These things can send us to a dark, lonely place. Neg- ativity seeps into our mind and souls without us really realizing how it is affecting us. I, along with many other fami- ly, friends, and neighbors are feeling the heavy weight this pandemic has created.
John 1:5 NIV says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Read that line again. How does that statement make you feel? It is one of my favorite verses, it is to the point and it has brought me much comfort in my life. In times like these, it can also bring comfort to others. God is light. He is with us in the darkness. He is the light that can illuminate the dreariest of days in our lives. But in order to experience that light, we must look to Him. We must look to Him when we are laid off from our jobs. We must look to Him when we are not able to spend time with our friends and family. We must look to Him when we are not certain when we will be able to pay our next utility, vehicle, or house payment. We must look to Him when we feel like giving up and shutting down. In all situations, we must look to Him. When we look to God in our times of desper- ation, He will guide us. He is our light and our salvation.
When the darkness is overwhelming, turn on the lamp, pick up your Bible and let His light shine on you and through you.
This little light on, I’m gonna let it shine.