The Importance of Light

Growing up, I spent several vacations in the Pacific Northwest because my older sister lives there.  It was cool touring Portland and Seattle and seeing all the great sites in the area.  We did a lot of hiking.

I brought back actual ashes from Mount Saint Helens in 1980 when they were selling them in Oklahoma convenience stores as mementos.

I heard about the Seattle rain but you have to experience it and hear how they advertise "sun breaks" on the local radio stations which identify when the sunlight will break through the clouds!

As we hear about how dangerous the sun is for our skin, we may sometimes forget that sunlight can also be healthy for us not only physically but psychologically.

There's been a ongoing myth about the suicide rate in Seattle because of the lack of sunlight.  It may not be the most depressed city in America but science has actually labeled the winter blues that some people get as Season Affective Disorder (I'm not kidding, the acronym is really SAD).

What does it mean for us spiritually
to come into the light?

Some people may try light therapy to get them over these depressed feelings.

All of this exploration of light reminds us of its importance to our lives.

Anyone who has face the "dark night of the soul" understands the relief and change of anxiety at sunrise.

As we explore the "I Am" statements of Jesus from John's Gospel this Sunday, we will be looking at "I am the light of the world".  It is interesting that this statement directly follows the encounter of Jesus by the crowd seeking permission to stone the woman caught in adultery.

Was this to expose the deeds of the woman or the intentions of the crowd?  Or both?

If we are seeking to deepen our relationship with God, what does it mean to claim Jesus as our light?