Saturday we sprang forward and Sunday it was an unbelievable 46 degrees here. Spring, that shameless hussy, is flirting with us. There was a guy in church with shorts on. Seriously.
If you’re reading this from Florida, or Australia, or Nazareth, this may not seem like it’s a big deal, but I live in MINNESOTA, where it often snows on Easter for Pete’s sake!
Nevertheless, I’ve been seduced. I’m finally ready to unplug the white twinkly lights that have been dressing up our pine tree and bushes since November when the Dark crept up on Minnesota and we needed a reminder that the Light will always prevail. We needed something to cheer us, something to assure us that there are things to celebrate even when they are hard to see.
These days, as the sun hangs around a little later each afternoon, and streets become drippy and puddly, and green things begin to consider whether it’s safe to peek out of the cold ground again, our pine trees look a little foolish with twinkles, all dressed up at 4:00 when it’s still light. Like a teenage girl anxiously dressed early for prom and trying too hard to be noticed.
So I’ll unplug the lights and enjoy the sun, and I’ve even turned off the heat, but I’m on my guard because March is the month that is constantly playing “Ding Dong Ditch”. She fools us into answering the door, sure there is Springy goodness waiting on the other side, and then Bam! Ha! We open and winter slams us in the face.
One thing we can be sure of is that light will prevail, and the lengthening days are a reminder that.
“The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5).
Even in the long winter months when all can seem lost, there are glimmers of God-light.
A friend shows up at church, fragile, but present in her “chemo hat” and worships, and light shines in the darkness.
A Christian farmer in Palestine works for peace and light shines in the darkness.
A young woman brings coffee and a listening ear to a friend who’s been laid off, and light shines in the darkness…
Someone writes a letter to their congressman to encouraging them to fight human trafficking…
Another texts “I’m praying for you.”
A young man teaches inmates at San Quentin and another tutors at-risk youth…
And a mom reads a Bible story to her toddler…
And light shines in the darkness.
Where are you seeing light shine in the darkness today?
