John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
A friend recently gave me a pocket prayer quilt with John 1:5 printed on it. Every time I stick my hand in my pocket, the words on the tiny stitching remind me not only of her sweet friendship, but of a great big truth. Darkness, no matter how threatening, cannot prevail.
Sometimes I forget that.
In the recently released movie, The Great Awakening, George Whitefield said, “One tiny candle illuminates a thousand.” The film depicts how Whitefield’s passionate voice for the gospel impacted a whole generation of people. His “tiny candle” spread throughout the colonies and produced a massive spiritual revival that would fuel the American Revolution.
Throughout his life, Whitefield refused to let the darkness and uncertainty of his day extinguish the light of truth. When he preached his last sermon, he was experiencing excruciating pain. Yet throughout his message, he symbolically held a candle and spoke until the flame burned out. He passed away that same night. And although his physical life was snuffed out, the message he carried continues to shine.
Darkness will always try to overcome light. We live in very different times than the mid-1770’s. Different times than when 6 million Jews were annihilated by Hitler. Different times than when the World Trade Center came crashing down on 9/11.
But no matter the times, we can stand firm in unquenchable hope. The darkest forces in the universe tried to smother the light of Jesus. And when he died on the cross, it looked like the darkness did, indeed, win. But as we know, the perceived victory was short-lived. Darkness could not overcome. And because of darkness’s defeat at the empty tomb, we have reason to believe it never will.
As the dark clouds of our time gather, always remember the light that overcomes. Scripture warns of coming wars, natural disasters and widespread deception (Matthew 24). That people will increasingly become selfish, greedy, proud, unholy, ungrateful (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Our assignment as followers of Christ is to consistently, unabashedly, lovingly shine the light of Christ. Don’t let anything quench your one tiny candle.
Say goodbye to darkness and let your light shine, shine, shine!