The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. John 1:5 NEV
Last night I was reading a Lenten study written by Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. I'm a little late getting started with it, but on the other hand maybe actually just in time. If you've been following this blog, you know that I'm a recent widow and that I've been feeling pretty dejected. Last night's reading lit a small candle in my darkened heart.
A unique property of light is that it can dispel darkness.. One candle can be seen over 20 miles away on a clear night. On the other hand, darkness can't put it out. If you put one candle in a room and open the door to the night, the room won't get any darker. Step outside the door, and you will see that one small candle light piercing the dark.
Several years ago, a friend of mine, Brian Cavanaugh, gave a speech for a Toastmaster's contest. It was about how you could poke holes in the wall of a dark room in the darkness to let light in, but the darkness wouldn't leak out--it would just go away.
I don't know if that allegory means anything to you or not, but it does to me. Jesus is the Light, and He can punch holes in any darkness--even in the saddest heart. That one Flame will be enough eventually to totally get rid of the dark in my soul.
Two of the things Pastor Hamilton said resonated with me. He said that all of us walk through the valley of darkness when someone we love dies and that we can't appreciate the light until we recognize the darkess, Those of us who have experienced the death of someone we love can tell you how dark we feel. To feel the warmth and know that small light is still there, that all the darkness in the world can't put it out, is to recognize that this will not last forever.
Lord, thank You for being my light. Thank You for letting me know this darkness will pass as more of Your light floods my soul. I love You, Lord.
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