Inner Light and Beloved Darkness
Thursday, July 17, 2025
Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night …
the darkness and light are both alike to You.
—Psalm 139:11–12
CAC teacher Barbara Holmes (1943–2024) writes about the challenges and healing power of darkness:
As an African American woman, I wear darkness as a skin color that I love. It is a reminder of African origins, hidden in my genes, but not accessible through memory. Without darkness, I would not be! I entered the world from the nurturing darkness of the womb and relied upon a dark and resourceful family, community, and cosmos for my well-being…. We come from the darkness and return to it.
But there are many types of darkness. There is the darkness of determined ignorance and hatred, impenetrable and smothering. There is the tiny microcosm of darkness that gave birth to the universe, its new realities and new worlds. There is the mothering darkness of the womb, and the protective darkness of the “cloud by night.”…
Because I saw my Aunties negotiate darkness as a reality with as much potential as light, I stopped being afraid of the dark. I realized that sight and insight were not dependent upon the glaring light produced by humans, for there was an inner light that glowed and revealed much more….
In my mind, church talk about an association of darkness with evil and goodness with light made no sense. I knew that darkness held and healed me. So, there had to be many types of darkness that I could differentiate, dismiss, or embrace.
Barbara Holmes considers how the darkness of a solar eclipse contains hidden hopefulness:
No matter how fractured things seem to be, no matter how the crisis splinters our delusions, there is a solid foundation within and beneath us, beside and between us. We can depend on this wholeness when it is experienced as a dark night of the soul for individuals, or an eclipse of the ordinary for the community.
An eclipse occurs when one object gets in between us and another object and blocks our view…. We are not permanently blocked from the light. Also, we are not able to rely upon our sight to overcome the obstruction.
Finally, during an eclipse, we have a dimming of the familiar and a loss of taken-for-granted clues that we rely upon every day to remind us of who we are and why we are here. Yet, although we are not always comfortable in darkness, the invitation to come away from life in the spotlight is intriguing. Could there be a blessing in the shadows?
Holmes quotes Linda Anderson-Little:
The eclipse reminds us to linger in the darkness, to savor the silence, to embrace the shadow—for the light is coming, the resurrection is afoot, transformation is unfolding, for God is working in secret and in silence to create us anew. [1]
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Jesus Calling Sarah Young
Jesus Calling – July 17th
Most people put Me on hold, rationalizing that someday they will find time to focus on Me. But the longer people push Me into the background of their lives, the harder it is for them to find Me. You live among people who glorify busyness. Even those who know Me as Savior tend to march to the tempo of the world. They have bought into the illusion that more is always better: more meetings, more programs, more activity. Make time alone with Me your highest priority and deepest Joy. As you walk close to Me, I can bless others through you.
RELATED SCRIPTURE:
Song of Solomon (Songs) 2:13 (NLT)
13 The fig trees are forming young fruit,
and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming.
Rise up, my darling!
Come away with me, my fair one!”
Additional insight regarding Song of Songs 2:12,13: The lovers celebrated their joy in the creation and in their love. God created the world, the beauty of nature, and the gift of love and sex, and he gave us senses to enjoy them. Never let problems, conflicts, or the ravages of time ruin your ability to enjoy God’s gifts. Take time to enjoy the world God has created.
Luke 10:42 (NLT)
42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Additional insight regarding Luke 10:38-42: Mary and Martha both loved Jesus. On this occasion, they were both serving him. But Martha thought Mary’s style of serving was inferior to hers. She didn’t realize that in her desire to serve, she was actually neglecting her guest. Are you so busy doing things for Jesus that you’re not spending any time with him? Don’t let your service become self-serving. Jesus did not blame Martha for being concerned about household chores. He was only asking her to set priorities. Service to Christ can degenerate into mere busywork that is totally devoid of devotion to God.
