A Battle of Light
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. -Genesis 1:3-4
One of my favorite places to go is to the mountains. The smells, sounds, and sights are a balm to my soul. On a crisp mountain evening I love to look up at the heavens. Here one can escape the hustle and bustle of life and experience God. The stars are bright and beautiful. They are a beacon to my weary soul, reminding me of the true essence of life: light.
When I return home, I always promise myself to go out and look to the night sky, so I can be reminded of this heavenly beauty. I find myself searching for the light, but it seems muted and not as clear. The stars are still present and are hard to see. Why? It is the same sky. Could it be that I live in the city where there is so much light pollution? Is our artificial light battling our natural light? I find this a stark visual reminder of humanity’s temporal struggle over the heavenly.
This year in particular, I have found myself overwhelmed with worldly worries and concerns, and even material wants and needs. I find my soul struggling with such pollution. This “artificial light” can move in quickly muting the peace and calm that resides in all of our souls. Such distractions! Just like the stars, the True Light is still there and shining as bright as ever. I must remind myself that the only true peace is that of Jesus. These temporal worries and desires are just that, temporary, but the heavenly light of Christ is forever. Light; the essence of hope, love, and life eternal.
In this time of Advent, I pray that each of us can remove worldly distractions and step into God’s peace and experience the beauty of the light of Christ.
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.