Follow the Light You Have

Available for 20 days

Good morning Well, this week the same thing has happened as it always does in Cardiff at the start of February, my 7am walk with our dog has finally emerged out of the long winter darkness. Dawn was breaking as I slipped the leash around her neck, and I didn’t need the head torch to illuminate the latch on the garden gate. By the time we returned for breakfast, the sun was fully risen as indeed had my spirits for the coming day. The coming of light is a common enough theme in many religions, an enduring metaphor for divine guidance and spiritual illumination. In the Christian scriptures Jesus even refers to himself as being ‘the light of the world’ promising that those who seek him out will find their way through the days of emotional darkness that almost inevitably envelop each of us at some time or other. One exemplar of living in that light was the Scottish minister and founder of the Iona Community, the reverend George MacLeod. He was quite familiar with some personal times in the spiritual shadowlands but out of those experiences he would often encourage folk to, ‘give thanks for the light we have and pray for more light.’ I think that’s pretty good advice, not just for those of us who might be walking our dog across the threshold of a new day, but for any journey you and I may need to make today. If and when it feels like we cannot find our way through a moment of doubt or despair, let’s pause by giving thanks for the light we’ve already been given, and, as we take the next step forward, let’s pray for more light to come to our path. Dear God of heaven’s light, Shine upon our small corner of the earth today; Brighten our hearts, And Illuminate our minds, That we might give thanks for all we already have And perhaps become the very light that others need. Amen