Click for Audio: The Light Within

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” ( John 1:1-5).

These verses from John are among the best for describing the perpetual unity between God, our source, and the individual. What John calls the Word, I often refer to as the Creative Life Force. Part of the Old Testament refers to it as Jehovah, which carries the meaning, self existent one. The point made is that our spiritual Source, God, is inseparable, an inner light of life that shines always. Not even our ignorance of its presence, the darkness, can nullify it.

Though it may be easy to miss, John is pointing to the four fundamental characteristics of God as life (In him was life … the light of men), unconditional love (the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it), power (In the beginning was the Word) and intelligence (all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made).

What we call unconditional love is the truth of this steadfast inner life that is absolutely unchanged by any false understanding of either ourselves or God. The unchanging nature of this inner reality means that every moment is a new beginning. No matter how far we stray from this truth, no matter how deep into the darkness we travel, the darkness does not affect our relationship of oneness to God.

In our moments of darkness, we must be willing to forgive ourselves for believing that we have the power to alter the nature or disposition of God and reopen our mind to this perpetual inner light the darkness has no power to overcome. God is omnipotent, one presence and one power, and this power is the very foundation of our being.