Thursday, January 3, 2019

I Like the Day- Happy New Year!

I like the day.
I do not like the night.
Why then do I also like to stay up late and sleep in?
I don't make sense.
More accurately-
I like the light.
I do NOT like the dark.
Night is dark.
Night is tired.
Night is lonely.
I'm so thankful God put boundries on darkness.
I'm so glad His voice shot light into everywhere.

Christmas is over but my mostly unadorned tree still sparkles with white lights.
The lights bounce on windows, the dark panes of night.
I can see what's here, in the light...
But not what is out beyond the frames and glass.
My dog barks at deer I cannot see; at least I think they're deer!
Like the one I hit on Christmas Eve-
because it was night
and I couldn't see.

So like a new year.
We cannot see what's in front of us,
waiting in the measured future.
We stay up late December 31st, squeezing every last drop from the year we've known,
maybe say hello to the one we do not...and retreat, to sleep in.
I know there are those who rush to what may be,
sometimes me
as well.
But only when I anticipate what is to come is better than what has been.
So I say to God:
"Speak light! Speak light into the formless void of 2019, into the hiding and biding things!"
And because He will, we rise from the night and into the light.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.

The sun will no more be your light by day,
    nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory." Isaiah 60:1-2,19