in the dark….

Depending on the latitude upon which you live, darkness begins its daily march sometime after sundown. For those in the extremes, darkness may last longer than for others. It signals the end of the day. Most of the time, it happens without our heed. However, when we go back and forth between daylight savings time, we tend to notice its beginning and ending a bit more, which is what prompted my thoughts.

Do you ever ponder about the darkness? Does it scare you or inspire you? Are you nocturnal or diurnal? For those whom are nocturnal, whether you be animals, humans, or vampires, this is your wake up call. For those whom are diurnal, you are winding down with the disappearance of light. All of life follows a cyclical pattern of using the darkness for a primal purpose of rest or hunting or maybe a nefarious mission. Darkness tends to be associated with the more negative aspects of secrecy, fear, and perhaps evil deeds that can be perpetrated within its cloak. The light stands in stark contrast. We can’t truly appreciate either without the other…. the dualism of their opposing forces. Light and Dark have always represented an EPIC battle metaphorically.

Our space pictures have shown us magnificent images of where daylight and nightfall meet together on our beautiful blue planet, helping to answer scientific questions about planet rotation or revolution around the sun. But what is the bigger question about light and darkness? Once again, I think Nature points us to a subliminal message. We can see how even a tiny light can dispel the darkness by looking at the pinpoints of star light in contrast to the inky darkness of the cosmos. We experience how the reflected light of the moon can be brighten the nighttime landscape. We see tiny fireflies that light up an otherwise dark woods. We see luminescent sea creatures that light up the dark ocean depths. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ~ John 1:5. It’s a beautiful Tree Star reminder that no light is too small to make a difference in the darkness, as evidenced by the words penned by someone who was living in a very dark world….Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness ~ Anne Frank.

But more importantly as we begin Holy Week, we have been given the best reminder that we have the One who will forever dispel the darkness for us… May it be so for you….so please don’t stay in the dark.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ~ John 8:12