1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis 1:1-3 KJV
In the beginning chaos and darkness reigned. We do not know much at all about the time before time; before the clock was off and running. We can say that blackness and confusion abounded. God came and examined the situation, moving about over this formless and disordered expanse. Then the Kol Yahweh rang out and everything changed. Light sprang forth creating an immediate division. Chaos no longer ruled.
But chaos still clamors for control. Whether it is in world affairs; witness the horrifying events unfolding in the Ukraine. Or perhaps something as deeply personal and painful as a ruptured familial relationship. One need not look farther than one’s own heart to find evidence of darkness seeking dominion. We all harbor those untidy places, moments in which the darkness wrestles for control. But despite the heartbreaking, soul groaning, turmoil we stand on a sure foundation.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 ESV
Each day the earth turns and morning dawns. Light overcomes darkness. As a soldier on guard, I experienced that bitter and lonely cold of the night before dawn. But each day the sun rose, and light swallowed up the darkness, bringing fresh hope. The darkness, chaos, did not win. With a slow crunching grind, the stone rolled and once again, the light poured forth claiming victory over the night. Jesus stepped out bringing with him order.
So when I’m tempted to despair, I remember the stone that rolled, the Spirit that hovered, the sea that split, and find relief in Easter and the empty grave. Chaos still seeks to win and often in that cold dark before the dawn seems powerful. But the darkness has not overcome the light. Or as the King James Version renders it, darkness has not comprehended the light. The forces of dark do not understand the power of the light that stepped out of the empty tomb and into my heart.
He is risen…He is risen indeed!
