In this world every issue or idea is full of both darkness and light. There are both positive and negative dynamics in the make up of everything in our earthly experience. We have the option to focus on one or the other. The beauty of this truth is that Darkness and Light have a cyclic dance that they are constantly progressing through. One or the other will always be apparent to the human perspective at any given moment. In this world, it will be the darkness that naturally manifests existentially, until the light overcomes. This plays itself out in every detail of the Genesis account of the Hebrew Torah. It is also evidenced in the Hebrew culture in the fact that Darkness (sunset to sun up) begins every day. The western culture has lost the transmission of this truth with the adoption of a different calendar system. The Taoist tradition also utilizes the Yin and Yang, which symbolizes not only the presence of light within the perception of darkness and vice versa, but also the cyclic nature to how this plays out. No matter the ancient recognition of many religions of this truth, the follower of Christ has a colossal responsibility to its revelation in his or her life. The follower, by faith, must REALIZE that the light exist in EVERY situation and issue, and do this at EVERY point in the playing out of the thing. The challenge lies in first RECOGNIZING, and then, by faith, CLINGING to the principle of light from the BEGINNING to the END. All things will pass away, but the Word of the Lord stands forever (continues right on through and past any situation, including life as we know it).
Loren, interestingly as we live our lives from one day to the next, this that you speak of "the cyclic dance" of light and darkness, is most of the time the last thing many of us are thinking about. But when we are made to stop and contemplate how much this actually relates to our everyday lives, I personally become kind of fearful.
ReplyDeleteNow I know there MUST be both (light & darkness) but what I am fearful of is WHY. Yeah, we could go into a long philosophical debate about that but what is fearful to me is why can't there just be good or why can't there just be bad? And then I go on to inquire of myself, what kind of world or existence would that be if it were only one or the other. Obviously, an existence or world separated from the one we currently live in (which could be an argument for an intangible world).
You also make a great point that from one religion or belief to the next this concept of the "cyclic dance" of light and darkness plays out.
In summing your blog, I gathered that light is hope and darkness is without hope. This is very upsetting when all we have to do is turn on the television and change channels to see which (hope or without hope) the TV waves are transmitting. I want to be on the side of hope. I get so weak sometimes from the weighing darkness that plagues our world. Some people get so weak they just give up. I sure can't wait to experience the existence where ONLY hope is dancing!
Thank you Maranda, for an interesting reply.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important to frequently reflect on the frailty of all things in this world, and even more so, our utter lack of control over any circumstance.
Here, the acknowledgement of this cyclic nature holds plenty to fear, but also much reason to reverence the chosen method of our Creator to purge, refine, and recommission all things within the Universe as we know it.
I think there is great beauty to be found in the "Life Cycle", from creation to destruction of everything from matter to ideas. How poetic it is to hear the prophet describe the Human Life as a blade of grass that springs up fast, and then by the influence of the Sun, fades away.
These observations in the hands of a wise person will cause them to prosper. Building your life knowing that you will not always be experiencing prosperity, but acknowledging the coming seasons of trials, is an act of reverence toward the God who created this Spiritual Law itself.
We must always remember that every great idea carried out will possess the seeds of challenge that, if dealt with correctly, will elevate our character and expand the boundaries of our influence.
Grace and Peace!!