PIERCING THE DARKNESS

It was Friday, July 10, 1925, 9 A.M., In Dayton, Tennessee, a small mountain community of about 2,000. It was the state of Tennessee versus John Scopes, the first American trial to be nationally broadcast on radio.

It should’ve been an open and shut case.

A high school mathematics teacher-turned biology teacher who was teaching evolution in class. If so, Scopes would be found guilty of violating a new Tennessee law which prohibited the teaching of evolution contrary to the teaching of creation in the Scriptures.

The new bill created a national buzz and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) advertised to pay the costs of anyone willing to test the statute in court. John Scopes agreed to be the test case.

The jury was convinced after only eight minutes of deliberation, but not the larger American public who had tuned into the trial. Yes, Scopes had violated the new Tennessee statute, but the defense of the Scriptures was weak. William Jennings Bryan had not done his homework. His heart was in the right place, but he was not prepared to give an answer “for the hope” that is in us. (1 Peter 3:15)

In Genesis 1, we are told that the sun was created on the fourth day.

The defense had done their homework and argued. How could there be evening and morning without the sun? How could three days of evenings and mornings pass without the sun??

Bryan stuttered.

He may have known Genesis 1, but he did not know the rest of the Scriptures.

Does He who created the sun need the sun for light?!!

No. We are told in the Scriptures that God IS light and His light pierces the darkness!!!

Last week, we finally put up our tree up.  Wahoo!! We had gone through months of repairs…weeks of living in a hotel, moving in with others and being sequestered in the back bedroom while workers hammered away in the rest of the house. Finally, the last bit of paint was applied, and all the furniture was put back in place.

It was nighttime, but there was one more thing we just had to do.   

My hubby ran out to the shed and brought in the tree. We set it up in front of the windows and turned on the Christmas tree lights. O how they sparkled in the darkness!!
It had been a long day. My hubby had gone to bed, but I was so excited, I couldn’t sleep.

I cozied up on the couch with a hot cup of tea and looked around me. My house was beautiful. Pictures of my children were back up on the walls, furniture was back in place and there in front of the windows was my Christmas tree with multi-colored lights piercing the darkness.

My mind filled with Scripture.

“And the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light…and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it.” (Matthew 4:19; John 1:5)

“For the city has no need for sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:23)

I was overwhelmed with the thought that the light of God pierces the darkness; and the darkness cannot and will not overcome the light!!

O God give us grace to walk in the light where You are, to see things we’ve never seen before. Open our eyes to see You more in 2024.  

Hugs ‘n blessings.
Bobbie