Overcoming Darkness

It's winter and it's dark. This is by far the hardest time of year for me. When it gets dark things become more intense. The loneliness seems more potent. My work becomes less fulfilling. The sun barely rises behind the heavy shroud of clouds. Even our chickens are laying tiny depressing eggs. Up until a couple days ago, I was working at Costco, and got up at 3am. Nothing is as dark and as lonely as a cold house at 3am. And nothing is as unfulfilling as stacking vacuum cleaners on top of each other at Costco.

But I was walking with Jordan outside in the sun today. It is astounding how the utter darkness of winter flees in the face of some natural sunlight and a listening ear. How fast the problems of the night that seemed so real and debilitating become meaningless. Jordan mentioned that one of the powerful things about living in the Northwest is that although the winter is long and dark and cold, it makes the spring so much better. It's really true: the contrast of a crisp sunlit spring morning redeems all.

Light is such a powerful symbol. I listened to the Sussex Carol this morning, which proclaims, "From out of darkness, we have light...". Or think of the most poetic words in the whole Bible,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overpower it." - John 1:1-5

My college president used to talk about how much he used to like Rembrandt paintings. Have you ever seen one? They're usually really dark and shadowy around the edges, with a brilliant light focusing on what is important in the painting. It is the darkness the shows the truth of the light.

As I finish this, the sun has passed behind the clouds, and the clouds grow darker and darker. I know that soon I will be surrounded by the cold darkness again. I don't like the idea, but maybe, like the painting, I need the darkness to show me the power of the day. We need the darkness of the Winter to show us the power of the Spring. We need the darkness of the crucifixion to show us the power of the resurrection.

Please remember: The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overpower it.