As I write this, we have just come to the end of an unusually hot spell of weather and I must admit I’d got quite accustomed to the sunlight streaming in around the bedroom curtains in the mornings, but not this morning.

At first, I thought I must have woken up too early, but then realised it was not my timing that was wrong, but the weather which had changed, and looking out of the window, gone were the blue skies and glorious sunshine, now replaced by grey skies, rain and a definite drop in temperature.

I must admit, I felt like just getting back into bed and pulling up the covers.

It reminded me of how sunshine can affect our perception of things.

I always remember going to Greece once and how lovely everything looked in the sunshine day after day, the streets, the houses, the mountains in the background, and even the piece of waste ground across the road from our balcony looked good.

Then, one day, it was all different, dark clouds rolled in over the mountains, thunder and lightning, and pouring rain, everything looked dark and dirty and suddenly you noticed all the litter that had always been there, but which was now being washed down the streets, even the mountains looked menacing.

Life itself can be a bit like that sometimes, everything seems fine, the ‘sun’ is shining, all is well and then suddenly, the dark clouds roll in, the troubles of the world, whatever they may be, loom large in our vision, blocking out all the sunlight and leaving us seemingly walking in the darkness.

Thinking about this, the first verse and chorus of a hymn, written in 1918, by Helen Howarth Lemmel, came to mind:

O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?

There’s light for a look at the Saviour, and life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of the earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.

Jesus promised, John 8 : 12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Question is, where are you walking today?