If I could do it all over again, I’d be a storm chaser. How cool is the sky!!?? Always stunning and always different, changing every minute, all the time.

In particular, because I am an adrenaline junkie, I love storms. Not the aftermath mind you; flooding and destruction of property and lives is heartbreaking, and a reminder that no matter how much we carve out a comfortable living, we are still so very fragile.

There is a certain kind of truth in the sky. A vastness and an inevitability that speaks to the ancient blood in our veins. The sky is spiritual. It is the ambience of our days.

And our nights.

The Gospel of John tells us that one night a man named Nicodemus approached Jesus in the dark of night to ask him about the Kingdom of God. At one point in their conversation, Jesus said:

Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. – John 3:19-21

Nicodemus showed up at night looking for light.

As a kid I was afraid of the dark and I wish I still was. The monsters still lurk there. The trouble is I’ve made friends with them. Their names are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger and sloth, a spiritual apathy. These guys will creep up out of nowhere and slowly take you down even as they convince you they’re on your side. (Just sleep baby. We’ve got this.)

The good news is, like all the vampires prior to The Twilight Series, monsters can’t stand the light.

Stop for a moment the next time there is a full moon and check out the sky. Take a deep breath and open your soul and let your spirit fly.

As constant as the moon and sun and stars, there is a light that monsters run and hide from. That light is spiritual. It is truth, and it wants to be the ambience of our lives. In that light your spirit and Holy Spirit come together in pure joy. And for an adrenaline junkie like me, a heart pounding excitement about life.

Take that you demons of darkness! We are light chasers!!!

You can help victims of storm damage and floods through UMCOR. Here’s how UMCOR is responding in Louisiana.