Dark to Light

The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Genesis 1:2

An artist, when painting or drawing, can go from dark to light or light to dark, depending on the medium and the color of the canvas. Either way, in the end, it is the darkest shadows that illuminate the whitest highlights. Without the darkness the picture would be flat, lacking the illusion of being three-dimensional.

Perhaps it is true in the spiritual realm too. God created the world and started with darkness. The shadows were already in place before He breathed life and created light. In relationship to God, we see Him more brilliantly because of darkness not in spite of it. Adam and Eve knew God in a state of perfection but they didn’t understand His grace and holiness until after the fall. What a beautiful picture. He wants us to know Him as we are known.

John 12:46 says, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.” I once read that darkness is actually the absence of light and, in the same way, evil is the absence of God.   However, without the backdrop of darkness and sin we would not recognize the holiness and goodness of God. Also, in Psalm 30:11 David proclaims, “You turned my mourning into dancing!” It isn’t until we experience pain that we appreciate comfort. In the same way, there is no recognition of our need for God until we see our sin. If, like the Pharisees, we don’t think we need saving and fail to understand the darkness of our own hearts then we are blind to the light. We see white on white, so to speak, instead of white on black. We cannot see the contours of His face when we are staring at our own self-righteousness.  So, today I will purpose to view God in the light of His truth which is drawn on the canvas of a very dark world.