Friday Five – light

The Fridays come and go, and each week there are things in the news which catch our attention. It seems that in our present time wherever we are in the world – bad stuff is happening.
People are being taken too soon; for unjustified reasons; for extremist causes and for hasty decisions. Earlier this week our RevGals Board issued this beautiful statement… it speaks of solidarity, of love, of rejection of violence, and of hope as we embrace the times we are living through.
This morning I woke to news of another atrocity in France – families mown down as they were out celebrating a national holiday – this is akin to a July 4th parade being mown down by a truck. This was no political target, just families out celebrating the holiday, waiting for the fireworks, enjoying the warm summer evening.
So – dear readers – what can we do today for our Friday Five? I decided we need to shed light. Beautiful, irresistible light.
One of my favourite bible passages is the St John Prologue:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every one that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

One of my favourite photos is of our chapel communion table filled with candles as we remembered those who had been killed in Paris:

One of my favourite sights is to watch a new day come, as the dawn breaks and the sun rises…

Another is at the opposite and of the day as the sun sets and the moon rises – even on a dark night there is light…

And, finally, I love poetry, so choosing just one is hard, but for today I’d go with George Herbert – Come my Way, especially the middle verse:
Come my light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast;
Such a Feast as mends at length;
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Friends, the times may be dark, the days uncertain, but this we know – God is light and life and love and together we can overcome.
Today for your Friday Five contributions – share your favourite bible verses, photos, times of day and poetry – in any combination you choose in order to shed light on our darkened world.

Julie (Woods) Rennick is a Church of Scotland minister, serving a rural community in the village of Earlston in the Scottish Borders. She recently married and is getting used to a new name. She blogs at A Country Girl, writes for Spill the Beans and contributed to the RevGals book, There’s a Woman in the Pulpit

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