Looking for the Light

I am ready for the gray days to move on. Even the birds aren’t chirping much, save for the large hawk screeching above the trees outside my window. His one-syllable screech seems to call, “Sun, Sun!” And yet, the sun does not appear. Hidden by the continuous mist and cloud cover, the light refuses to break forth. Just a ray, I plead, just a ray of light would lift my spirits, raise my energy level, and put a song in my spirit. But for today, the clouds will continue to reign. I must look for the light.

Epiphany is the season after Advent in the Christian year. It is a time of thinking and reading and pondering light, God’s light. The Light of the World, Jesus. Light overcoming darkness. Light to guide Wise Men, Light to direct my path. Light to brighten my day. The Light of the World came to a people in darkness. John 1:5 talks about that in present tense, “The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”

And we still don’t understand it. We read and reread, study, and ponder. The mystery of God’s Light, Jesus Christ, remains a great mystery of simple trust and hope. That is why we must read and study God’s Word. There is a verse before the famous “Great is thy faithfulness” verse in Lamentations 3 that says, “But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.” We must call to mind God’s great love for us. Every morning, whether we are in the light or in the clouds. He is there. The Light of the world is shining on us. We can “call it to mind” by giving thanks and praise for all the good in our lives. The breakfast we took for granted. The healthy children who skipped out the door. The faithful employees who support us. The temperature controlled house in which we live. When "we call to mind" , we learn to trust with our questions.

When we “call to mind” those gifts, the verse goes on to say, “ therefore I have hope.” Hope for things we do not understand. Hope for the future. When we praise and give thanks, our hearts lift, a light pours in, and we are filled with hope. Our faith is strengthened and we are restored. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Sure and certain is confidence in our faith. No matter what.

And faith will see us through the clouds of doubt, fear, sorrow, pain.

And faith will guide, direct, comfort and heal.

Isaiah says to lift our eyes and see.