It was August 1st in Florida.

A new adventure was at hand.

8:30pm hit hard after a cross-ocean, cross-continent flight from Hawaii. Sleepiness was pulling us all down, but my seven year old still seemed to have some charge left in his batteries.

“But, Mommy, it’s still light out. It’s not bed time.”

I pointed to the clock and said that it was time. He was so confused. A perplexed and sleepy look filled his face as he tried to fight me that the clock was wrong. I had to explain to him that in the summer in a lot of the country, it stayed light out quite late. A little illumination left in the sky didn’t negate the need for rest. In Hawaii, daylight and night time is quite consistent throughout the year and it was not very typical that our guy would go to bed with the sun still peeking over the horizon.

He quieted himself and slept for 15 hours. Jet-lag took him despite the confusing sky display. We all slept like babies that night.

Now we face winter. My daughter commented on the fact that it wasn’t even 5:30pm and already dark out. She was looking for something through the window and couldn’t quiet spot it. Grumbling about daylight savings and yet nodding that some places needed it, she gave up at the window.

Do you ever feel like either of these children, confused about why darkness encompasses the earth when it shouldn’t and how light shines when it’s unexpected? Maybe some people would be, but as believers in the Lord, we should never stand scratching our heads in doubtful wonder. Instead, we should stand in awe of that light beating down the darkness despite how all-consuming it often feels.

John 1:5 ESV

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it

Yes, and Amen! Jesus is the light of the world that shines no matter what our clocks look like or where the sun is shining. Jesus gives hope no matter if the stars twinkle or the clouds oppress the sky. His light ALWAYS shines.

John 8:12

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

My son need not fret over bed time in the summer because his weary head will find rest no matter what the sky speaks to us. He will find comfort in the Lord’s light at all times of the day. My daughter need not fret for not being able to spy something outside due to twilight falling early. She has hope that whatever she is looking for, the Lord is always there first and guiding her despite the clock.

You will find hope despite the night light that guides you down the hallway or the noon time rays showing us the way when hope is placed in the Lord. Jesus brought us all that we need and following Him will give us perpetual hope and light for all times.