OPINION —
John 1:5 — “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
During our time living in Phoenix, Arizona, one of our favorite family adventures was visiting a lava tube near Flagstaff. Hidden among the pine trees, it was easy to miss. In fact, if you didn’t know exactly where to look, you could walk right past it without ever realizing that beneath your feet was an enormous underground world.
The entrance was nothing more than a small opening in the ground. But once inside, everything changed.
With our headlamps switched on, we could see the vast cavern stretching before us. Jagged rock formations lined the walls. The ceiling arched overhead. Every step revealed something new and fascinating. It felt as though we had stepped onto another planet.
But there was one thing we quickly learned: light wasn’t merely helpful — it was necessary.
Without it, every step became uncertain. A misplaced foot could mean a twisted ankle or a skinned knee. The beam from our headlamps provided a blanket of safety, helping us navigate a world we could not otherwise see. Yet, during each visit, we always did the same thing.
At some point we would stop, gather together and turn off every headlamp. Instantly, we were engulfed by darkness. Not the darkness of a moonless night. Not the darkness of a room with the curtains drawn. This was a darkness so complete that you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. The cold, lonely silence was unsettling. For a few moments, it felt as though the darkness pressed in from every direction.
Then, with the click of a button, one light would come back on. And everything changed. The darkness that seemed so overwhelming was suddenly pushed back by a single beam of light.
That experience often reminds me of the world in which we live.
Scripture frequently uses darkness to describe sin, confusion, fear, hopelessness and separation from God. We live in a world searching for answers. People look to wealth, education, technology, power and philosophy to solve life’s deepest problems. While those things have their place, darkness remains.
Why? Because the greatest darkness is not the absence of sunlight. It is the absence of God. The good news of the Gospel is that God did not leave us wandering in the dark. Jesus stepped into our darkness. John wrote, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
Jesus came to reveal truth. He came to expose what sin tries to hide. He came to overcome the darkness that grips the human heart. And just as one headlamp transformed that underground cavern, the presence of Christ changes everything.
Perhaps today you find yourself walking through a dark season. Maybe you are facing uncertainty, grief, fear or discouragement. Remember this: darkness is powerful, but it is not victorious. The light still shines. And because of Jesus, the darkness never gets the final word. God bless, and I love you all.
