Night. As I write this, it is the Winter Solstice.
This is the farthest north that I and my family have lived in Canada. Pam has relatives just outside Grande Prairie and Peace River. I have been at both for the Summer Solstice. To see the sun sitting on the horizon past midnight is quite a sight. I have not been that far north at this time of year. Still, we have fellow Canadians that are in perpetual night right now. In Tuktoyaktuk for example, there is complete night for all 24 hours. The sun is not seen again until January 14th. At times like this I marvel at how my senses expand. The crunch of snow on a night walking on a winter's road with the temperature at -35. The light of the moon that guided my way. And then, the celestial singing.
In northern Saskatchewan we went outside one night to watch the Northern Lights. It was -53 that night (no wind to create a windchill). And the Aurora were singing as the colours moved and danced. I also remember looking up into deep space and marveling at the stars in the cosmos on a clear night at this time of year. And that reminds me that night is not dark to God at all.
Psalm 139:12. God made the darkness. There are four references to dark and darkness in Genesis 1 alone. Darkness is as much part of the Creator's work as any other part. Ponder for at least a moment the contrast of a supernova with a black hole. One of the great questions of our day is "What's on the other side of a black hole?" We do not know yet. My concept is that it is as mighty as what we see when a supernova happens. And into the midst of all of this, the light of the Holy Spirit comes as a baby. And now we see the power of God in deep, meaningful understatement. No pomp. No circumstance. A baby. His parents have no idea of what's to come. Mary knows things are going to happen. Luke 2:19. And there will be much pondering over this Jesus the Christ for millenia to come. That's for another day and another blog.
I wish all of you many blessings this Christmas. May the joy of the season last all 12 days.
