Intertribal Life Newspaper -

As darkness retreats at sunrise, there is no place quite like the mountains to enjoy the first rays of morning light. Shimmering rays dance across the lake, inviting wildlife to leave their shadowy shelters for a cool morning drink.

Through the stillness I hear the familiar plink of a fish jumping to snatch an insect. Insistent jays and chattering chipmunks urge me to pay attention to the glory around me. Indian paintbrush, yellow buttercups and purple mountain columbine splash colorful hues onto green slopes. Surrounding peaks glow with golden tones as if they, too, celebrate the dawn of a new day. Without light, we could not see any of this! Actually, we wouldn't hear any of it either because light creates oxygen, and, of course, we cannot live without oxygen.

Our crackling campfire adds the sweet scent of goat's beard and pine smoke to that of coffee brewing and bacon frying. It is time to refocus my heart on what is important. God said a lot when He said, "Let there be light."

Plants use a process called photosynthesis to power their cell factories. Plants provide food, clothing, housing and oxygen. No fruits, vegetables, trees, grains, teas, coffee or chocolate exist without light. Even the campfire needs wood and oxygen to burn. Plants take in our exhaled carbon dioxide and give us our oxygen. What a system!

Animals eat plants to survive also, so I would not be able to sit by the fire in my cotton flannel shirt and wool socks, enjoying my bacon and eggs, without light.

The Book of Genesis begins with darkness covering the surface of the deep. Then God said, "Let there be light."

God not only illuminated the dark physical mass of our planet, He illuminated the spiritual world on earth as well. First, it is important to know that Jesus is the Creator. "Through him [Jesus] all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind" (John 1:3-4).

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).

The Bible is God's family kingdom story. Genesis begins Jesus' human lineage with Adam. His family line continues down through the centuries; it included the kings of Judah, a prostitute from Jericho named Rahab, a Moabitess named Ruth and David's mistress, Bathsheba (Uriah's wife). It reveals the battle between light and darkness, and between life and death. It is a story of grace. It also requires us to choose-darkness or light.

Pixabay/kangbch

Paul told the Colossians, "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves" Colossians 1:9–13).

I hope each of you have time this summer to get out and enjoy the sunlight and also bask in the Son's light.

Sue Carlisle grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. An enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, her passion is to encourage people to look at creation and see our awesome Creator. Sue is author of Walking with the Creator Along the Narrow Road (see page 19). She and her husband, Wes, now live in Thunder Bay, Ontario.