- Transform - Autumn 2021
An End to the Darkness
The Biblical story begins in darkness.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep.”
Genesis 1:1-2, NIVUK
But here, at the very beginning, the darkness is transformed by the presence of God and his Word, which brings light and life:
“The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”
Genesis 1:2-4, NIVUK
In the verses that follow in this chapter of Genesis, God takes the formless and empty earth and shapes and fills it with life, bringing forth a creation that is overflowing with life and which is wonderfully good.
There are times in the Biblical story when the God-given order, fullness, and light of the world is under threat from Satan, the one who opposes God and who seeks to destroy life. And there are times in our lives when chaos, emptiness, and darkness threaten to overwhelm us.
Overwhelmed. It’s a word we hear all the time in our bible-based Trauma Healing programme, not just from people in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, but from people here in Scotland. And overwhelming is a good description of what the world has experienced these past two years, as our lives have been turned upside down because of Covid-19. This year as we have sought to get back on our feet, our world has been shocked by fresh darkness.