Bright and Brilliant Light

It was a day when the sun struggled to rise.  There was no brilliant display of colors on the eastern horizon, but a dull light that managed to penetrate the gray skies that greeted those who rose from their beds for the day.  And, all day as the sun struggled with the gray skies, the gray often heavy with falling rain appeared to be winning the battle.  But, then in the late afternoon, in a moment that was sudden, the gray disappeared, patches of blue appeared, and the brightest, most brilliant afternoon sun shined from one horizon to the other.    

The sudden bright afternoon sun brought reminders of how God comes to us in those moments when it seems that the light of His love and mercy has become overcome by the gray shadows which settles over the soul and spirit.  Most of us have experienced those kind of moments.  They are created by a host of things like loss, chronic suffering, and uncontrollable life changing circumstances.  In those moments we struggle to see the way forward.  More frightening than the difficulty is the sense that the light will never again shine in our life.    

The Word assures us what our experiences claims as truth.  There is always an end to the gray skies.  The sun has not really disappeared, but still shining even though it is unseen to our eyes.  Nothing has changed.  "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it."   (John 1:5)   Even though we may not see His light in a momentary moment, He is still present and His light is still shining.  And, what is certain is that as surely as that afternoon sun came to overcome, so will He.