Lent 35 Light

It was the most gloriously sunny day yesterday.  Blue skies and warmth right from the start to the end of the day.  Everyone was talking about how lovely it was to see the sun again.  People were smiling and looking relaxed.   The special school I visit for work had the big beanbags outside so the kids could lie in the sunshine.   It really was a lovely day.

And it set me off thinking that human beings are designed for light.  We thrive in the light.  We need it.   If we dont get enough of it our health suffers.  We get Seasonal Affective Disorder and Vitamin D deficiency.  Being kept in the dark is a form of torture .  We just need light.

We need warmth too.  There really is nothing much better than sitting in the sunshine feeling the warmth of those rays melting into ones skin and wrapping us in comfort and peace.  How amazing that light which has travelled squillions of miles through space and time should arrive at our planet at just about the right temperature to keep us thriving and healthy and warm.   ( Of course I live in Ireland, so its not quite warm enough here..... and if you live in the Sudan then you might complain that its a tad too hot sometimes.   But you get my general point. )

It is no coincidence that the very first thing God did was light.   He didnt make light.  He IS light.  So when He spoke light was. His words are light.  His breath is light . His light is sustaining, life giving and warm.  His DNA exploded into the universe when God spoke and it continues to create and sustain even today.  God's breath is what keeps you and I breathing, our hearts beating , our bodies and spirits alive.  His life shows us the way in what would otherwise be complete and utter darkness.   When people talk about hell I imagine it to be the absence of God - and therefore utterly utterly pitch black dark.  And cold.  ( although of course the Bible talks about fire..... I wonder if in hell the fire is cold?  :) )

Hopefully over the coming days and weeks we shall see more and more sunshine and feel more and more warmth.  The winter is over and spring is here.  New life is bursting forth and skies are blue.  As we bask in the sunshine, strip off our coats and spend longed-for hours outside let us remember that we need the light of God to shine in our spirits every bit as much as we need the ultra violet rays to shine on our bodies.   Without the light of His presence in our souls and spirits everything is dead and cold and unfruitful.

And if you want a song to remind you to shine then heres a brilliant one ( with actions) which you will be humming for the rest of the week 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XVq2z_7TLM