Speaking Light Into Being

"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." — Genesis 1:3 (NRSV)

This morning, I awoke to a quiet, dark house. As I shuffled into the kitchen, I reached for the light switch—an instinctive motion I've made countless times each day. I didn't pause to question whether the light would shine. I simply trusted it would. And it did.

It struck me then: this tiny act mirrors something much bigger—the moment God spoke light into being. No hesitation. No elaborate setup. Just four words that changed everything.

Genesis 1:3 marks the first divine command: "Let there be light." What's remarkable isn't just the content of the sentence but the sheer simplicity of it. God's voice holds such authority that light itself leaps into existence.

Yet this light is more than physical illumination. John 1:4 echoes the Genesis moment, saying of Jesus, "In him was life, and the life was the light of all people." From the first day of creation to the dawn of redemption, light has always been God's signal of presence, power, and possibility—now fulfilled in Christ.

The Word that created light in Genesis becomes flesh in John—a continuity that proclaims God is still speaking light today.

This morning's flick of a switch became a sermon in miniature. It reminded me that sometimes light arrives not by elaborate effort, but by the faithful speaking of truth, hope, or grace. We are created in the image of the One who speaks light, which means our words matter too.

Each of us can speak light. Into someone's grief. Into our own anxiety. Into a world groaning for clarity and peace. The light we speak doesn't need to be elaborate sermons — it can be the honest sharing of our walk with Christ, how He brings peace amid the chaos. "Let there be light" becomes not just a divine command, but a daily invitation to reflect the One who still speaks.

God, who spoke light into darkness, speak again through us. Help us trust the power of Your Word—and the beauty of words spoken with love. Where we encounter confusion, speak through us to bring clarity. Where we find sorrow, let us offer comfort. And where shadows remain, let Your light—through Christ, and by Your Spirit working in us—shine with hope. In Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Peace & Grace,

Pastor Tim