For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing great treasure.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
I bought my husband one of those wake up light alarm clocks for Christmas. He and I both have difficulty getting out of bed when it’s still dark. For all practical purposes it’s still night if you ask me and we should not be up and about.
Although my mind is telling me to go back to sleep, the clock is telling me we are all going to be late leading to chaos and panic in our house.
This bright light comes on slowly every morning mimicking the sunrise in our bedroom before the alarm even beeps. Something in the light is supposed to trick my brain into thinking that it’s daytime giving me that extra nudge I need to wake up.
The other day was a dark, dreary, winter day. I had lots of things to get done but was feeling particularly sluggish. Being a Florida girl, I really start to notice when the sun hasn’t been shining for a couple of days. I went over and turned on my husband’s bright light alarm clock hoping to fool myself that the sun was shining. I wondered if I could convince my body into producing the Vitamin D as if it were a cloudless day. I’ve heard about light therapy for those who suffer in the winter from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) due to lack of sunlight in their lives. Maybe I would try it.
The sad truth was, unless I sat right there in front of it that light wasn’t going to make a difference and I couldn’t exactly carry it around with me. In reality it is no substitute for the sun. But God used all this crazy thinking to point me to Himself, the true Light of the world. He is the Light that goes with us everywhere, even into the dark turning it into the light!
Psalm 139:7-12 says:
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?…
…If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
I know my light alarm clock is a cheap imitation of the sun. It’s not the real thing. It helps, but I can’t live by it. Don’t be fooled by the imitation either. You would never trade a warm sunny day for a day under a light bulb that will one day burn out. Take time today to sit in the presence of the Son, Jesus, allowing Him to light your way, cover you with his warm feathers and awaken you to His unconditional, unending love for you. Turn to Him today, the true Light of the world. And then…Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Glory be to the One who said, “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”