“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6 ESV).

I am writing this during the week of the winter solstice. At this time of year, I can sympathize with the pagans who celebrated the shortest day of the year as the beginning of more hours of sunlight. There have been winters when I referred to a weather app to track every minute of light gained each day until spring.

The darkness has not, will not, can not overcome the Light, and in the new beginning we will see his face, and his name will be on our foreheads, “And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever” (Rev. 22:5).