Friday, January 12, 2018

Today’s Scripture Reading  |  Genesis 1:1–5
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. (NRSV)

Reflection
Last winter, I treated myself to curtains for my bedroom. The window is drafty, and the thick curtain kept the bedroom significantly warmer. The curtain, however, had another effect on the room as well: it made it dark. Gloriously dark, sleep any time of the day or night dark, have no idea what time it is, dark. Which, therefore, made waking up harder. Instead of slowly having the bedroom light up with the sunrise, there is now a sudden “Hello Sunshine!” when I open the curtain.

When I was a kid, whenever my mom asked me to turn on a light, I would go to the light switch and say, “Let there be light!” announcing with some grandeur that I was turning on the light. Now as an adult opening the curtain I still think, “Let there be light!” There are days, though, that opening that curtain doesn’t have the same impact; some days there isn’t light.

Some days I have to look harder to see the light in the world. Some days I feel much more like the earth is a formless void, where people are cold and alone on the streets with not enough to eat. In a world where people flee their homes due to war or famine or wildfires, where young children die of preventable disease and teenagers get shot in front of schools, it is easy to wonder where the light is. Some days I just want to close the curtain again and go back to bed.

But God calls us to be the light in the world, to follow God’s calling and share God’s love with those around us. On the days when it is hard to find the light in the world around us, it becomes more important for us to be the light in the world for others.

Prayer
God, help me to be your light when the world seems to be dark and hopeless. Use me as a light to those who are suffering or simply need a helping hand. Please God, let your light shine over us all. Amen.

Written by Katie Patterson, Youth Mission Coordinator

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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