American folk singer/songwriter Arlo Guthrie once said, "You can't have a light without a dark to stick it in."
While he was not speaking about spiritual things necessarily, we can certainly agree with the down-home logic of his statement–especially when it comes to celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world was a very, very dark place when Jesus came; it had been that way a long, long time.
And there remains darkness all around us, in every direction. People go about their daily routines without realizing that there is so much more to living than what they’ve experienced. They put their hopes and dreams in various things, hoping to find some peace and meaning, but all they’re really doing is adding to the darkness in their lives. In fact, some live their entire lifetimes without ever discovering that abundant life Jesus came to give us.
In contrast, John 1:5 reads, "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." That light John was
talking about was Jesus, the Light Of The World.
Isaiah saw that one day, God would send the True Light into the world: "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned" (Isaiah 9:2). Arlo Guthrie may not have been talking about Jesus when he made that statement about light and dark, but his point is clear. Light and dark are opposing forces. And
light shines the brightest when everything around is darkest.
When Jesus conquered death that first Resurrection Day, the world had never been darker. But the light of His glory shone brightly that morning, and continues to this day. Jesus told us that we are the light of the world, and that as lights, we are to shine so everyone can see.
Resurrection Day, otherwise known as Easter, is a great opportunity for us
to let our lights shine. Let us be sure to celebrate the glory of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, remembering that the world is still a very dark place, and we have the responsibility to shine as lights in the world. "We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19).
--Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com