Scripture: John 1:4–5 (ESV)
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
All four of my children have had night lights because they are or have been afraid of the dark. Night lights have come a long way since I was a child! All I had was a door that was left slightly ajar so the kitchen light could shine into my room. Our kids all have what we call “boppits”. We call them this because that is how you turn the light on… the light is touch sensitive and covered in a silicon cover and to turn on the light you have to bop the silicon cover until it hits the light underneath, making a delightful “boppit” sound.
Why are we afraid of the dark? Because even though God created both the light and the dark, the dark hides sin far better. We instinctively recognise this, and our language reflects it. We say things like “Nothing good ever happens after midnight” because deep down we know that bad things happen in the dark. Here in John 1:4-5 this imagery is also present. Ever since the fall of sin, the light that was supposed to be present in mankind has been corrupted and the world had fallen into darkness.
But now something new was happening. Jesus, the source of life and the source of undefiled light has entered into the world. And here is the critical thing, no darkness can ever overcome the light. Darkness has to flee before the light. You can be in the darkest room, or the darkest night and if someone struck even a tiny match, the flame would chase away the dark. As someone once said, darkness is not the opposite to light, it is the absence of light. Darkness cannot fight against light, it has no power against true light, and once light enters the scene darkness must retreat.
That is how John introduces Jesus. The light against which darkness cannot stand.
This has immediate implications for the Christian. This means that in Jesus, all the darkness that tries to creep into our hearts, our thoughts, our lives, has no chance of ultimate victory. Yes, it is true that sometimes the darkness of fear and doubt and despair can cloud our spiritual lives. But in the end, for the Christian, these things will give way to the light of Christ. It may take a lifetime, and it may not be fully realised until we are made anew in Jesus, but the darkness cannot win against the light.
As strong as the darkness may seem, it cannot overcome the light of Christ.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for being the light that shines in the darkness. Thank you for your strength and power. Thank you that you can never be overcome. Help me live in the light. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge:
Think about an area of your life where the darkness seems strongest. Commit to bringing this to the light of Christ by sharing this struggle with another Christian you trust.
The Light that Overcomes Darkness