Light Lifts my Soul

       I know there is a science to why sunlight makes us feel good inside, I believe I read that it is that our skin absorbs the vitamin D from the sun's rays and that helps to fight off the feelings of depression but I don't know exactly how that works. I started to think about this this morning though when I was leaving for work, how it's like the darkness we see outside settles over our souls and leaves us depressed and moody, but that the sun lifts our spirits. Recently, when I have left it has not only been cold and miserable outside but dark too, and that's honestly left my motivation for the day pretty low, as well as my mood early on.
       This morning however was my first drive into work in a while where I had sunlight. Somehow, despite it still being cold and miserable out just seeing the light lifted my mood and helped me meet my day with some excitement and a positive attitude. These thoughts led me to another thought, one of my favorite passages, John 1-4 which reads '1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.' As I thought of this bit of scripture and how it refers to Jesus as the light, I was struck with what I felt was interesting parallel.
       Just like the dark cold weather of winter can be depressing, so can the dark sad state of our war torn world. Just like focusing too much on the dark cold weather can get us down, so can focusing on the world. But also, just like a warm sunny day can lift us from that depression, so can Yeshua. In John 1:5 Jesus is described as the light that shines in the darkness, and one verse before that as the light of the mankind, I point to these verses specifically because of two things, even in darkness, Jesus is still shinning, and that as the light of mankind, He is our true source of light and hope. He, as light, can and has overcome the darkness, and thru Him so can we.
       This morning sunlight beat my early morning, time for work blues, but as I prayed, drove, and meditated on things I realized I always had the light I needed to overcome those lows, all I had to do was focus on the true light, the light of this world (John 8:12; John 9:5), our Lord Jesus Christ. Be blessed brothers and sisters, and hold onto the light.

Psalm 27:1   
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Isaiah 60:20   
Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended

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.”

1 Peter 2:9   
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.