“The light shines in the darkness, And the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5
I don’t know about y’all, but in light of the tragedy in Pittsburgh this week, my heart has been so heavy. The darkness and fear in the wake of life lost like this seem so strong. Today, I was reminded in this beautiful verse that even as we grieve, even on the days that feel so dark and SO broken, light is always stronger than darkness.
“Filled to the measure”. That is what I want for my forgetful heart. I have ALWAYS loved this verse. I’ve prayed this prayer over so many people in my life, including myself. I’ve seen God answer this prayer too, time and time again, helping me and others understand how deep His love runs for us. Deeper than our biggest fears, our worst failures, and our most painful wounds…
I started memorizing the last part of this verse with my little girl when she was just two years old! She was having a hard time memorizing it, so I made up a little song and started to sing it to her. We would sing it together on the nights that the dark felt scary and she couldn’t go to sleep. Sometimes it was a bad dream she had and sometimes she was just afraid that there might be monsters under her bed. …
I’ll never forget the day I heard my cousin read this verse from Psalm 139 to her children: “If I say, ’Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” (Psalm 139:11-12 NIV). She asked her boys, “If y’all are in a dark room, & you turn on a flashlight, what are you going to see?” They both piped in energetically, “The light!!” She said, ”That’s right boys, don’t you ever forget that the light is ALWAYS stronger than the darkness.” …
