Love in His Marvelous Light

As I left work this past Monday evening, I stepped outside into darkness. Forgetting that it was the first workday after daylight savings time had us set back the clocks, I was disoriented. More than that, expecting to enjoy the last bits of sunlight coming through the trees on my drive home from work, I was actually depressed.

Caught off guard by these feelings, I have spent a good deal of time this week meditating on why it is that darkness caused such unease for me, and wondering if—perhaps it is more than just a daylight savings time occurrence. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that I just don’t like the darkness. Period. As a child, it scared me, and even now—as I discovered on Monday—it tends to oppress my spirit (of course, this feeling is chased away when I am inside a cozy home with friends or family, but let me refer to darkness in general for this post).

So, what is it about darkness that scares little children? Why is it so often the backdrop for hauntings, evil, and the action of scary movies? To be quite honest, I am not really sure. I know that God created the day and the night, and is Lord of both:

“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he 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.” (Genesis 1:3-5)

Darkness in and of itself is certainly not bad—after all, God is master of all, and the darkness is as light to Him (Psalm 139:12). But the same scripture that tells us that God is God of all reminds us that:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

It is nice to know that my unease with darkness actually has a biblical backing—although we need not fear the darkness, it is powers that work in darkness with which we struggle in this earthly life. Our enemy—called the “Prince of Darkness”—knows the darkness of our sinful hearts, and invites us to give them full control. This is spiritual darkness, and something that is supposed to frighten us.

Perhaps one of the reasons that the darkness unnerves me because it is the realm of the hidden—the unknown. In the darkness, our mind is quick to play tricks on us. As I child, I could not see that there was no monster in the darkness, and therefore believed that there just might be one lurking around that dark corner. As a “grown-up” (ok, I’m still working on it), I know there are no monsters, and yet, I still find comfort in the light of day, when all is seen and known.

This is why the bible’s imagery of the brilliant light associated with Christ draws me in. As followers of Christ, we stand in the light. We are completely known, completely forgiven, completely loved. In the light of Christ, we are new creations—there is no need to hide. We are repeatedly called to step into the light of the Lord:

"Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light." (Ephesians 5:7-14)

In the light of Christ, we are exposed. But rather than being humiliating, this exposure is liberating. It is cleansing and complete. God knows our every sinful thought and, seeing all, forgives, and accepts us. What radical love!

1 Peter 2:9 says this: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”

Let us remain together in His marvelous light, praising Him for saving us from the darkness of our souls!