John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
This, I think, is one of the most poignant lines in Scripture. It first offers an affirmation about the light. The light of the Word, the light of Jesus, shines in the darkness, illuminating, bringing hope, making bright.
But it also acknowledges struggle. There is darkness, darkness that wants and seeks to overcome light. Darkness in the world, darkness in our lives, darkness in our hearts that seeks to quench the light. This life is a life of struggle and the light that shines can feel more like a flickering candle than a blazing fire.
And yet whatever the power of darkness, the light burns on. And, ultimately, the darkness is no match for that persistent, passionate light of life..
This is the heart of almost every story, whether told around a fire, set down in a book, or written in the journal of our lives: the struggle between darkness and light, despair and hope, meaningless and purpose, futility and possibility, death and life.
This is our story John is writing. And through it he narrates the promise that we do not live this story alone. For God’s Word and light has come into the world, illumines our lives, shines on in the darkness…and the darkness has not overcome it.
Prayer: Dear God, at our darkness moments, help us to remember that you are with us, shining on us and through us and never letting us go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Your second paragraph David is so real, so honest. I want to just say that darkness overpowered me this last September, 5 days after my retirement from ordanined ministry in the ELCA. The Assistant to our Bishop in NE MN Synod came to be with me and then recommended to me a book, that was so powerful to me, I have been recommending this book to almost everyone I meet. It is by Barbara Brown Taylor, of which I have read much of over the years, but not quite like this one…for those in darkness who can’t even read John’s first chapter without tears, read the book entitled “Learning to Walk in the Dark”. Thank you David for all the “In the Meantime” words and poems.