When I was a kid, we lived in the country with no streetlights. It was pitch black many nights without a visible moon. I always left my door slightly cracked so I could see the light from down the hall. Otherwise, my room was complete darkness.
I live in a subdivision now. My lamppost at the mailbox casts a soft glow throughout the house every evening. Regardless, we have so many options for night lights these days that we are rarely in complete physical darkness. However, sometimes we sit in what feels like a formless and empty space with darkness and deep waters as far as the eye can see.
God knows that place. He was there in it from the beginning of time in the formless and empty space. And, He chose to bring light into that darkness with His very first act of creation. (Genesis 1:1-4)
Just like then, God can speak into our darkness and say, “Let there be light.” He can separate light from darkness in our own lives. If He can take the empty space and breathe light and life into it, He can take our dark moments and do the same. It only takes the tiniest bit of light to illuminate the darkness, then the darkness is not so dark at all.
Where do we find light for this spiritual or emotional darkness? It’s not like saying “Alexa, lamp on.” And, ta-da! There is light. It’s not quite that easy.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 NLT
To follow requires taking steps. We must take a step toward the light of Jesus. How do we do that? The absolute best step we can take is to open God’s word. The Word “is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105 NLT
When we take a step toward Jesus, the Word will begin to illuminate the darkness like the lamppost in the night casting a warm glow on our souls. The Word will bring hope and healing. The Word will offer grace and goodness. The Word will bring life and light to the formless and empty space just as God spoke light into the darkness from the beginning.
Photo by Landon Martin on Unsplash