Light vs. Darkness vs. Darkness vs. Light

Have you ever had the opportunity to be down in the earth?  To enter a cave?

The coolness.
    The dampness.
         The darkness.

When we had reached the very bottom of the cave, the tour guide turned out the lights.  And do you know what we saw?  Darkness!

A darkness so dark, so thick, so palpable.  It was so dark that, even when putting my hand directly in front of my face, I could not see it.   

A few weeks ago I was stirred in my heart to begin considering light vs. dark.  And the theme has continued to surface in my days (which I have learned means I am to press in even harder... I believe repetition of themes, concepts, or ideas is one of God's ways of inviting me into a deeper conversation with Him in that.)

Here is some of what I have pondered and considered...
 

Physical Light and Darkness:

Without light, dark is. The entrance of light itself is what dissipates the darkness, even from the very beginning.

"The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.  Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." ~Gen. 1:2-3

In the cave, the guide didn't turn the dark off, instead he turned the light back on.  The darkness didn't necessarily go away.  It was still there.  The light just overcame the dark.

I am also trying to open my eyes and ears to how creation speaks of the Creator.  And so I consider the darkness and the created light...

Spiritual Light and Darkness:

In addition to sin... how often our difficult, our struggles, our pain, our frustrations.... are referred to as the darkness of our lives.

So then, in that, is there light?  And if so, what (or who) is that?

"Jesus once again addressed them: 'I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.'" ~John 8:12

I am coming to a new understanding of my own "darkness".  We aren't told that it will necessarily go away.  Instead, we are promised that there is a light strong enough to dissipate whatever darkness we find ourselves in!

The darkness doesn't necessarily disappear, the light just becomes greater.

In my darkness, He is my light!

"O Lord, you are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness." ~2 Sam. 22:29  (Ps. 18:28)

 "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.  For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine." ~Is. 9:2 (Matt. 4:16)

New Truth and New Prayers:

* And then I wonder... instead of praying for what seems my dark situations to go away, would the greater prayer (and miracle) not be to instead pray for my eyes to be opened to seeing Light (Him) in the midst of my darkness?  What if that was His greater will (and good) for me in that?

"Let us walk in the light of the Lord" ~(Is. 2:5b)

* And then allowing that Light (Him) to shine through my darkness and brokenness for others to see Him...

^"But this precious treasure—this light and power that now shine within us -- is held in a perishable container, that is, in our weak bodies. Everyone can see that the glorious power within must be from God and is not our own." ~2 Cor. 4:7

* And even throughout eternity... He is the Light.

" And the city has no need of sun or moon to light it, for the glory of God and of the Lamb illuminate it" ~Rev. 21:23 

What about you? Have you found yourself praying for a difficult/dark situation to just disappear?  What if, instead, you began asking to see Him dissipate and overcome that with His Light if that was His greater will for you in that? --  And what other ideas of light vs. dark have you discovered, considered, or learned?...


Not all inclusive, but other verses to consider:
2 Cor. 4:4-6;  I Peter 2:9;  2 Cor. 11:14