Deeper into the Wilderness

I once took a group of fourth- and fifth-graders to an observatory to look at stars and learn about constellations. We talked about how there is so much we can learn about God by sitting in the dark that we cannot learn in the light of day. We looked up through a telescope at a dying star, and one of the kids asked what happens after a star dies. The observatory guide who was helping us explained in a simple way that the light goes out, turns to dust, and a lot of the material is the foundation for new stars to be formed.

In the darkness there is light and death; and there is resurrection.

John’s Gospel is defined by the themes of light and darkness. In chapter 1, John tells us of the light that has come into the world that no darkness can overcome. Now, in chapter 3, John tells us how people who do evil hate the light and those who do what is true come to the light. Is it as simple as that?

So often, we are quick to put light and dark at odds with one another when, in reality, light and darkness coexist. They complement each other and tell us things about ourselves and about God that we could not know without leaving space for both.

As I think about our trip to the observatory, I still ask the question, What can we learn in the dark that we cannot learn in the light of day? As we continue to encounter the wilderness season, we are challenged to ask ourselves why we are spending so much time in the dark or why we are so quick to run to the light. Encountering the wilderness is hard and requires us to sit in the tension. Maybe take a walk in the dark tonight and see what comes up for you. Then remember that in darkness, there is light and death; and there is resurrection.