It is still Dec. 22nd as I write this, and that means it is still the day after Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year, and the longest night of the year. Happy Post Solstice Day! That means, from here on out, for the next half of a year, the darkness of each night will recede a little more, and the light of the sun will take up more and more of the day (at least here in the Northern hemisphere)….
Congratulations! We’ve made it through the darkest time of the year, and this milestone can be a metaphor of having turned the corner from increasing darkness to increasing lightness. I hope and pray that you will experience this in your life this year… that the darkness of loneliness and disappointment of the present struggles, will give way to renewed hope, renewed anticipation, and refreshed experiences of new life. Hope is a lot easier once we understand that there are forces of Creativity that can continue to act on our situations, and even though we might not be able to predict or anticipate how that Creativity might be wielded. The increasing light compels us to imagine that new life can grow out of the darkness.
The one thing about Divine Creativity, however, is that it is seldom predictable. As much as we would like things created or re-created in alignment with our wishes and dreams, things often don’t pan out that way, but it does not mean that a Divine Creator isn’t creating. Our Hope, then, is in the benevolence of this Divine Creator – and that S/He is still yet at work crafting some kind of beauty out of the rubble of our dark circumstances or past disappointments.
Here is a photo to remind us of beauty that can be had even in the darkest of night. This photo was taken by moonlight at the edge of the rim of the cliff at Bryce Canyon National Park.
May we have fresh eyes to see beauty in our lives this next week which might embolden us to hope in an active and participating Divine Creator who might still bring beauty to our broken stories and disappointments. May we have the boldness to hope, and the patience to keep waiting, buying the DC more time to work Their craft.