Genesis 1:1-5
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
From early December to yesterday when we removed the tree, each morning in our house began with the same ritual. At two- and one-half years old, Poppy would wake up, come downstairs, pick up her glass of milk and ask if she could turn on the Christmas tree. Making her way around the tree, she touched the button on the power strip and the lights would come on much to her delight. They were colored lights, and they added a spirit to that room all day until they were turned off at night.
I will miss Poppy’s joy at seeing the lights come on and miss the presence of those lights.
God gave light to overcome the darkness, and I want to imagine that with each sunrise each day, God is overjoyed at seeing that the light was good. As God’s children, perhaps we can reclaim that sense of excitement in the knowledge that light is greater than darkness. That light is from God.
Jesus is born into the darkness of the night, and in his birth, light is born into the world. In John 8:12 we hear, “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; those who follow me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life’”
In this season of Epiphany, I invite you to find your light – to discover God’s radiance and presence in each day. Anticipate that light. Each morning establish a routine to find the light that brings you joy. It may be:
A prayer
A song
A poem
A walk
A ride
A workout
Find your light, because making the world brighter requires intentionality and purpose. We are followers of light, but just as importantly, we bear the light that gives life to the world.
God’s Peace,
John+