desperate for light
CLINT PERCEFULL
The night sky has always been something that has fascinated me. Millions of stars, and galaxies shine through the dark reminding us of God’s greatness. From my front yard I can see only a few of these lights, countless others are hidden from my view due to what is known as “light pollution”: brightening of the night sky caused by street lights and other man-made sources, which has a disruptive effect on natural cycles and inhibits the observation of stars and planets. The stars that are in view are those that are shining the brightest.
Jesus said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness…” (John 8:12) and when I think about that I am reminded of how important light is. When I was a teenager I worked at a grocery store and one day a few of my coworkers and I decided to open a mysterious door in the back of the store. This door led to a big basement, and this basement led to a tunnel. Being the dumb teenagers we were, we decided to follow this tunnel. I was in the front with the flashlight and several others were behind me. Eventually the tunnel got too small for us to walk through so we had to turn around. I passed the flashlight to the person who was at the end of the line as he would now become the front. He thought it would be funny to run and leave the rest of us behind. As he ran, the light got smaller and dimmer and eventually was out of sight. I had never experienced that magnitude of darkness before. I could not see anything and was forced to guess where to go. In that moment I would have given anything to have a light source of any type. I was desperate for light.
The world we live in is fallen and many are walking in darkness. Jesus is the light they need, and we are called to show them. Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”, reminds us that we are to show God’s light to others, to be a beacon in a darkened world. When I look up and see those beacons in the night sky and reflect on these verses I am challenged to be a constant and bright source of light for a dark world. I hope you will be as well.
- Clint Percefull