You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 NIV
Children of Light
Daylight is one of the most powerful influences on our sleep-wake cycle. In summer, longer days mean more sunlight exposure, while in winter, shorter days can make us feel sleepy earlier. Extra summer daylight delays melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep at your usual bedtime. Limited winter daylight triggers earlier melatonin release, leading to increased sleepiness and sometimes seasonal affective disorder. This time of year, dim indoor lights an hour before bed to signal your body it’s time to wind down.
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One of the themes of the Bible is the contrast between darkness and light. In the book of Ephesians, Paul says that once we were darkness and now, we are light. He would focus on the same theme in 1 Thessalonians 5:5: “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” The Christians in Thessalonica had come out of the darkness of the sinful world and into the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He has removed their sin and brought their lives into the light of his love and grace. And here’s the beauty: light dispels darkness naturally. In a world that can often feel shadowed by fear, uncertainty, or despair, God reminds us of who we truly are. We belong to Him. We are not of the night, not of darkness. The light of Christ lives in us. Just as Paul reminded the Thessalonian believers, we need to be reminded that we, too, as followers of Jesus, are children of the light, called to let His presence shine through us.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley