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How the light gets in is the name of this podcast and my blog but what we do here is so much more than taking in pretty sunrises and silver-lining type ideas. You know that though.
Do you remember how we went looking for light back in November? If you don’t, go to the blog (it’s not super organized, sorry) but, there you’ll find a bunch of words ending in -ing.
Those words represent a random idea that sort of hatched in the fall of 2020 – when the country was throbbing with growing racial tension, divisive politics and of course Covid. And, as if the world couldn’t feel dark enough; the actual amount of sunlight was going to be cut short starting November first.
Where I live, we set the clocks back an hour in the Fall for Daylight Saving Time.
Watching the news, setting the clocks back and losing an hour of sun was just the push I needed to find the list.
Then, we began what I thought would be a month long exploration of that list. As it would turn out, writing out all those verbs was a good exercise for my mind to be aware of all the ways I could think of. But on November First, when I started the self- assigned work, I quickly realized the words, the ways, the verses, the images, the memories would be put on my heart one light filled day at a time.
Do I believe God put this assignment on my heart? Yes. Just stick with me.
We took it one day at a time starting with the word Honoring on November 1. The next day was Signaling, then Revealing, Reminding, Reflecting, Changing, Surrounding, Healing, Filtering, Spreading, Unveiling… For each word, I would look for a picture to go with it and a scripture or share a lesson I’d learned.
It didn’t take long for me to realize this work and the words were all leading to what I’ve come to learn about Jesus.
I know you know I love Jesus but I promise this wasn’t supposed to be about anything other than looking for light.
But it ended up being about so much more. And I think the work is beyond me, that it is for you too.
It’s been a few months now since we wrapped it up. And, I’m feeling another tug. Maybe it’s because we’re about the change the clocks again. This time we will “Spring Forward” and set the clocks ahead an hour. While we are losing an hour of sleep, we are gaining more light.
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden light.”
I’ve always thought Jesus was saying “my yoke is easy and my burden isn’t that heavy.”
But now, I’m wondering WHAT IF, what if Jesus is saying, “My yoke is easy and my burden is LIGHT.” Reflecting, healing, honoring, nourishing, reaching, growing, comforting, unassuming, beckoning LIGHT.
To me, Jesus is all those things. And after exploring all the ways the light gets in, I’m wondering what if He was saying “my burden is light.” It is hard, heavy, intentional work trying to reflect, hoping to honor, reaching out to comfort others.
Jesus is light.
Your burden is light- when you think about it; It feels like a great privilege and a great burden.
According to the Farmers Almanac, the general idea behind Daylight Saving Time is that it allows us all to make better use of natural daylight.
So, how will YOU let the light in?
There are so many different ways: Delighting, Leading, Challenging, Reaching, Igniting. The list on my messy blog is just the beginning. Jesus shows us.
Your burden is light.
Literally.
Light is not easy. It can be heavy lifting these days.
In our world, at this time, where darkness is so heavy; what if you can look to Jesus and see how your burden is light?
how the light gets in 