Towards The Light

 It is dark here in the Arctic right now. Since June, the light has slowly dissipated...though not noticeably so until the Fall. It is a cycle residents in these parts know well and have adjusted to. Living here since childhood, I know nothing different. The dark is part of my life. Yet, it gives way to growing light every. single. time. 

Without fail. 

And oh, to know a God Who set earth's motions in play and Who comes to the rescue of His own without delay and Who forever remains as consistent as the seasons - never failing! 

Weeks ago, we passed the shortest day of the calendar year. Deepest midnight shrouded in chilly temperatures and falling snow, reflective of soul-cold as all things sad attempted to cast doubt that the Light would return. 

Sunset just a mere few hours after sunrise giving only a glimpse of its rays existing, and I haven't I had to learn to spot Him on occasion with only a glimpse, too? 

I think back to December days and Christmas colors trying to drown out all-black and lift the spirit to heights of hope in the midst of winter's chill, and I realize, once again, that the Light was always there. Is always there. 

Without fail. 

As skies felt devoid of daylight for most of the hours, Light showed up in ways unexpected... reminded that darkness cannot overcome. Cannot extinguish forever. Because He is forever. And Love is forever. And there is forever-hope because He is hope! 

I saw it in the caring text from a friend as he went out of his way to go do a thoughtful gesture just to cheer my discouraged heart. 

I saw it in mountain peaks lit aflame with pink-glow as the sun slipped behind fog-clouds in the depths of winter-dark. 

I saw it in courage of a someone's heart as he finally steeled himself for a long climb out of the personal depths, come what may. 

I saw it in the simple pleasure of bulb-glow on piled snow as colors shown through pure-white and cast a peaceful feeling across the front yard. 

I saw it when new neighbors knocked on the front door, Christmas cookies in hand. 

I saw it in the surprising reunion with two impactful older friends from my childhood and the fulfillment of a 25-year-long desire to express my thanks. 

And I saw it when Dad pulled the two little stuffed snow people from the attic to put out at Christmas and they were found "hugging" each other close all this past year since we put them away. 

And isn't that how we all survive these dark days? Holding each other in tight and speaking words of life and using our love to dispel the pain?

The reminders keep coming as God keeps coming - moving. advancing. 

The hopes and fears of all our years are met in Jesus, the One who came... the One who still comes and shows us again and again that dark will never win. Because He won and He'll always win. The Light of the World come to enter our hurt and shine His eternal-hope into our broken places and assure us that whatever night we walk through will one day give way to glory. 

Because He's all about His own glory and us bringing Him glory and all our worship rising up from ashes of impossible because, with Him, all. things. are. possible! 

It's January now and slowly - almost imperceptibly - the Light is returning. The days getting longer with the passing of each little second. I can see sun-glow across the ridge as rays peak around mountains and begin to light my home once again. 

Without fail. 

As surely as the change in seasons, there are moments when the soul-dark feels its heaviest and I wonder if the Light will come again. Even as I know and have proof that it will, I still ask the question. Still doubt. And yet... He always arrives. Sometimes almost imperceptibly so. He doesn't always arrive with the full-glow but rather, with the tiniest of rays that are just enough to say... "Keep going onward. Keep moving forward. Ever towards the Light. Because the Light is moving ever towards you." 

It's about to be Spring in the Arctic soon. Winter will give way. It always does. And warmer, brighter days will come for us all. Because God comes for us all. Comes to us all. And we are never left in the dark forever.