Darkness changes things.

It changes a beautiful woods into a scary scene.

It changes a promising sunny afternoon at the pool into a disappointing change of plans.

It changes a house into an obstacle course full of pinky toe-biting monsters.

Darkness changes things, perhaps most significantly is how it impacts our perception.

When night falls and dusk creeps over camp, even I am (still) afraid of the dark. It doesn’t seem to matter that I KNOW that camp is still the same place as it was in the full light of day… I find myself jumping at sounds in the woods, concerned about what could be hiding in the shadows, and even fearful of being alone.

Scripture says of Christ, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

…the darkness has not overcome it

What assurance we have that Christ, our light, has not been overcome by darkness! No matter how “dark” the times are that we face, we can know that Jesus shines in that darkness… and the darkness has not overcome His light! What’s more: Christ has called us to be a light to our world, to shine like stars in a dark and broken world.

Our eyes are so keen that scientists say we can perceive the glow of a single candle from miles away. We need to trust our spiritual sight when darkness closes in to see the light of Christ shining and to believe that, no matter how small that light may seem, it will not be overcome! We need to know that OUR light, even if it is just us standing alone, shining for Christ can be seen through the darkness.

Light changes things because Christ changes everything.

“God, the imagery of Christ as our light is beautiful and powerful. Often our world… our lives, even, seem filled with darkness and it can be hard to believe that things will turn out okay or that WE are okay. Give us comfort from your word as it tells us that darkness cannot overcome your light! Grow in us spiritual sight that rivals the physical eyes you’ve given so that we may be able to see your light even in the darkest of times. Help us to be a light shining for your in our world and in the lives of those around us knowing that because of Christ, that light we shine changes everything!”

~Jillene