Light or Where it All Starts

January 1, 2025

The Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp (he/they)

Executive Director, LOVEboldly

Queer Christian

Light or Where It All Starts

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

Since the very first morning on the very first day of humanity, when our most ancient ancestors took the initial evolutionary step toward what would become human civilization, light has been a common and important theme in our lives. Light is often symbolic of revelation and epiphany. Jesus is called the light of the world. Paul was struck by blinding light at his conversion. Fires, stars, candles, lamps, and other images related to light or conveying light appear often throughout the Bible. 

While light has not always been easy to find and maintain, light is so prevalent in contemporary life that we now have branches of science and medicine dedicated to understanding it, making it better for us, and measuring its impact on our lives. Though the screen in front of me is not meant to be a light source, it nevertheless gives off more light than either of the lamps behind it on my desk. The lights in our lives often hide the world around us. People in cities and large towns know that we only see some of the stars. So many of those stars, themselves sources of light, are hidden by terrestrial lights so much closer to us.

Reflection

What are the light sources most often in your life?

Where can you look beyond the artificial light and see natural light?

Action

Get away from cities and towns. Spend a few hours at night looking at the stars in a remote space.