There’s an interesting fact about the nature of darkness.  

It simply doesn’t exist as a devised entity, but is merely the absence of light.  But don’t take my word for it, read for yourself.  On two separate accounts in the first chapter of the book of Genesis, I can see that light was separated from darkness.  First, after God spoke it into existence:

“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.”  [vss.3-4]

Secondly, after creating the two “great lights” to govern night and day:

“God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.”  [vss. 17-18]

So, there are four principles that I can extract from the text here:

1. God created light.
2. He saw that light was good. 
3. He separated the light from darkness.
4. Darkness appears not to be a creation.

Even the Psalms of David are replete with metaphorical references to the significance of light. For example:

“Light is sown like seed for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart.” [97:11]

And the apostle John revealed both the intention and the magnitude of “Light” in the person of Jesus Christ as recorded in his gospel account: 

“He who is believing in Him is not judged; he who is not believing has been judged already, because he has not been believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.  For everyone who is doing evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”  [Jn. 3:18-21]  [my emphasis]

The Light exists.  I know it exists. 

If I refuse to come to the Light, I have something to hide.  There can’t be any other reason. 

I used to convince myself that I loved the Lord, all the while retaining the right to a private life apart from Him.  At some point, the hypocrisy became a burden I couldn’t bear and I chose to allow myself to be wholly revealed.  Not only was I freed from what was previously unwanted exposure, but the Light became a catalyst for discerning His truth.

But the Light does something else.

It allows me to see where I’m going and who’s going there with me. And that’s a big deal:

“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.“  [1John 1:5-7]  [my emphasis]

For what would be the merit of the Christian life in the absence of true fellowship with other faithful believers?  More specifically, how can I learn to be Christ’s disciple without having the means to connect and “shine” with others who have a common interest to live obediently in Him?

Having been raised in an environment where rugged individualism was considered paramount to a successful, happy life, close friendships outside of the immediate family were never discouraged, but considered secondary in value.  

Perhaps seeking out and establishing these bonds wasn’t that important for me as the need wasn’t there, since my family was always close-knit, happy and intact.  

But when I chose to let the Light to shine on me, I began to experience many priceless relationships on the outside.

I can only come up with one word to describe them–abundant.

I see better now.