Friends, we made it through May!! We DID it!! (We can do hard things!) We purposely wrote about the word, struggle last month, because May can be exactly that as we wrap up the school year and prepare for summer. Each woman on our writing team struggled with what to write about struggle, and ultimately, I think God gave us one of the most powerful months of this project. (Thank you, Lord, for the words you provide!)

This month, we thought we’d make things a little lighter for the summer, so light is our word for June. Light doesn’t seem as heavy as struggle, right? It feels more fun, bright and cheery, don’t you agree? Much more engaging for a light, summer read…and yet, I sit here struggling with what to write. Because the truth is, as I have been pondering, researching and praying about light, it’s not as light as you might think.

Light is a force; a literal source of energy.

Light is the opposite of darkness, and as such, often represents all that is good. Including the greatest good, Jesus Christ, who called Himself the light of the world (John 8:12).

Light leads to life and often throughout the Bible is symbolic of being in alignment with God’s plans, purposes and character, and even in his midst.

Light isn’t really all that light. It is POWERFUL.

I often have to remind myself that light and darkness, although opposing forces and a common dichotomy, are not equal. Not even close. (Why do I forget this??!!) John 1:5 (NLT) says The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Light dominates. It wins every time.

Have you ever noticed that you can be in the midst of pitch black, and even the tiniest little light can be seen? It can break the darkness. Now consider the opposite. What if you’re in a well-lit, bright area? Can you bring in a small amount of darkness and have an effect? No. It’s not the same force that light is.

This is important as many, including myself, often use the light and darkness analogy to represent good and evil; God and Satan. They are NOT equal. God is both dominant and victorious. From the very beginning of creation, God created light and then separated it from darkness (Genesis 1:3-4). He placed the boundaries and the darkness was under his authority. If we look at the book of Job and all the troubles and tragedies that Satan made Job endure, we see that Satan had to ask God for permission each time. He still had to work within the boundaries that God set. And, of course, ultimately Jesus declares victory over darkness and death with His obedience on the cross. Colossians 2:15 tells us, And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (See also Luke 10:18, John 12:31 and 1 Peter 3:22.)

God is supreme. He is the the God of all gods, Lord of all lords (Deuteronomy 10:17). God wins every time, as also illustrated by the victory of light over darkness.

Interestingly, I also noticed something for the first time while reading a passage I’ve read no less than dozens of times. In Genesis 1:3, God begins speaking creation into existence and order on the first day. He initiates creation with light by declaring let there be light, and there was light. But you know what he hadn’t created yet? The sun, moon or stars. He was the source of light. God. He didn’t create the lights in the sky to separate day from night until the fourth day.

Had you noticed that before? Isn’t that fascinating?

It makes me view light so differently. Yes, the sun produces light, but God sourced light before that. God made daylight happen, and he didn’t need the sun to do it! Talk about an Almighty God!!!

He created light, called it “good” and separated it from darkness.

Now, I love thinking about light in relation to Him. Light is good in new ways to me. I love that it is of God and set apart from darkness. And it makes so much more sense now that light represents God, his presence or godliness. Light allows us to see, and we can’t see Truth without Him. Light allows us to live, and we can’t have the best of life without Him. Light provides growth, warmth, clarity and victory over darkness, as does our glorious God so generously provide these things to us.

1 John 1:5 (NLT) tells us, This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.

God himself is our beacon.

Our source of light, life and all goodness. And power.

Light is no lightweight. 

Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that… ~Martin Luther King, Jr.