Today’s scripture: Genesis 1:14-19 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Angie Eden):
God made two great lights — the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night.
Are you afraid of the dark? If so, you’re not alone. Regardless of age, when night falls it can bring with it a certain amount of angst. Our nature is to fear the unknown — what is not seen, not understood. But like it or not, our lives, like our days, have appointed times of both light and darkness: times of clarity and confusion, calm and chaos, peaks and pitfalls.
The author of Genesis makes it a point to note that God not only created “the greater light” but “the lesser light” as well. The sun, moon, and stars all conspire to govern creation with precision and purpose. I don’t know about you, but I consider these three to make the top ten list of God’s all-time amazing productions. Though I personally prefer the comfort the sun (and its light) affords, the moon and stars possess a certain tranquil beauty I have learned to appreciate. According to the scripture, God deemed both day and night “good,” and we of faith believe God’s love and strength exists in both. Even when we are shrouded in darkness, God is present and ever vigilant at our side.
One of my favorite southern gospel songs from the 80’s is titled God On The Mountain. It’s performed by a charismatic family called the McKameys. The chorus goes something like this:
For the God on the mountain
is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong,
God’ll make them right.
For the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day
is still God in the night.
You can watch the video below.
Thought for the day: For today and tonight, give thanks for the ebb and flow of God’s creation. Whenever you are experiencing the darkness — whether on your knees in a valley or just feeling blue — call to mind that from the very beginning, God knew we would need to lean upon a love and strength greater than our own to get us from one morning to the next. The God of the day is still God in the night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWZNbduQTmkWe encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.