Wednesday, March 5 John 1:5

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

FEAR, VANQUISHED BY THE LIGHT

“Christ be our light!
Shine in our hearts! Shine in the darkness!”*

In the dark, we strain to see light — any light to guide us. We feel around for a light switch, we activate the flashlight on our phone, we strike a match. In the dark, we can feel utterly lost and afraid, in need of guidance.

Sometimes the darkness is in our hearts, our minds and our souls. We feel a different kind of lost, unsure of what we are doing, of whether our moral compass has failed us. We become wary of what`s happening around us, whether it is global, national, local or in our own houses. We become afraid of how to find that light inside ourselves.

However there is always a light shining for us. The light that no darkness can overcome. Christ is there — right there — standing with us, giving us comfort to do the right things and to withstand the things we cannot change ourselves. I grant sometimes we have to strain to see that light. Sometimes doubt can shadow our vision. And sometimes, in our darkest moments, we may even feel that the light is not there, that we are all alone. But we`re not. In our faith, we find that Christ can rouse us, lead us, cheer us on.

I remember a time when I was a young man, living in a small apartment by myself, working in a Kansas City suburb. At times I felt aimless, alone. I had not gone to church for years and didn`t even think about faith. One night I was sleeping when all of a sudden I felt like something was there, in a corner of my very dark room. I sat up quickly. Looking around I saw nothing, but I could sense something there with me. I felt a presence assuring me I was not alone, that something greater was looking over me. And then, it was gone. The room was still dark, but now I felt not so alone. The room was dark, but it did not concern me.

In the years since, my faith has grown stronger. True, in moments of trouble I find it tested. In those moments, I look to the Light of Christ, guiding us, helping to show us the way if we`ll listen. I find comfort in that Light now, even in times of great fear.

Dear Lord, continue to shine for us in the darkness that surrounds us time and time again. You are that constant Light that no darkness can overcome, and you illuminate the world for us. Amen

Ken Hobart

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