There’s a lighthouse on the hillside that overlooks life seas and when I’m tossed it sends out a light, a light that I might see and the light that shines in darkness now will safely lead me home if it wasn’t for the Lighthouse my ship would be no more. (Acapella Lighthouse Lyrics)
Lighthouses make me happy. I stop and take pictures of them wherever I find them. I sang in an acapella quartet in high school and I would be considered a groupie of the original group called Acapella. In fact, we opened for them at a concert in the eighties. They sang this song, and it has stuck with me for decades now. Jesus is my Lighthouse.
As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and gang rape before the age of fifteen leaving my light on became a coping mechanism. If I always left a light on, I would always be able to see what was coming right? Light illuminates’ darkness and uncovers the ugly things that can be hidden there. In my world it was a hand coming over the bed or people you know pulling you back behind a building at night.
My fifty fourth birthday is coming in a few months. My light still remains on when I go to bed at night. For years it was one of those things that shamed my spirit. I was embarrassed. Until one day a friend of mine said, “who said leaving a light on was wrong? Remember God is light in the darkness.”
It is a simple statement with a powerful impact. Another layer of that onion peeled off. Why is turning a light on so that I do not stumble something that holds me back? The truth is leaving a light on allows us to focus on the reality that is found in the darkness. Evil exists, bad things can happen, but light exposes it. Keep your light on too. Maybe not when you sleep like me, it comforts me and that is ok. Remember this: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 ESV
Even in what we would call total darkness, our eyes were designed by a master creator to adjust automatically. Our eyes dilate to let light in. I will leave my light on, and I will work on trusting my eyes to adjust as I let the light in to my darkness.
The next time you see a lighthouse, stop and ponder. The lighthouse was designed specifically to shine light in darkness so ships could see the shoreline from far away to bring them home safely. Jesus is my lighthouse. He shines in my darkness from far away to bring me home safely. He always leaves his light on for me.
Remember, my light is always on. If you need to talk through something, want to share your opinion or story, reach out I would love to hear from you.
Susanne Moore 