Monday, June 13, 2022

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

Isaiah 9:2

Darkness can be disorienting. Researchers have done experiments putting people in total darkness for months at a time to see the impact of darkness. Those people lost track of time. Many of them slept for 30-40 hours, waking up thinking they had taken a short nap. It impacted them psychologically as they experienced severe bouts of depression and anxiety. Some of them lost their mind, unable to distinguish between what was real and what wasn’t. They have also studied the impact of dark classrooms on a child’s school performance, clearly demonstrating that darkness can impact a child’s ability to learn. We can go on and on about the types of darkness, but ultimately any type of darkness can cause spiritual darkness, which adversely affects how we see and experience God.

There are major similarities between physical and spiritual darkness. They are both very uncomfortable. They both make you feel vulnerable. They both make you instinctively look for light. They both make you look for an anchor to stabilize you while you try to maintain your safety.

If anyone knew about darkness, it was God’s people during the time Isaiah wrote these words. Despite their turmoil and Isaiah’s messages of doom and gloom, God promised a time when His kingdom would be established. Moreover, we are now in a time when we only have to look to Christ. Jesus declared in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

PRAYER: Lord, despite how dark my night, I thank you for the good news of the gospel. You are the light in this dark world. Despite how dark the night, you are light. Let me run to you when I feel overwhelmed by darkness. Your light never runs out. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.