Puddles of Sunshine

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading titled, Puddles of Sunshine was written by Dave Brannan. It was a warm summer day, and my four-year-old granddaughter Molly and I were taking a break from playing ball. As we sat on the porch with our glasses of water, Molly looked out at the yard and said, look at the puddles of sunshine. The sunlight was filtering through the thick foliage to create a pattern of light amid the dark shadows. Puddles of sunshine, isn't this a beautiful image for finding hope in dark days? In the midst of what can often be challenging times, when good news seems in short supply, instead of concentrating on the shadows, we can focus on the light. The light has a name, Jesus. Matthew quoted Isaiah to describe the brightness that came into the world when Jesus arrived, saying in Matthew chapter 4, the people living in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. The effects of sin are all around us as we live in the land of the shadow of death. But shining through that shadow is Jesus, the grand and glorious light of the world. The sunshine of Jesus' love and compassion breaks through the shadow, giving us puddles of sunshine to illuminate our day and brighten our hearts with hope.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from John chapter 1 verses 1 through 5. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him, all things were made. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Let's pray. Jesus, while we struggle through a world full of trouble and hurt and darkness, we need your presence. We need your uplifting love to take us out of the shadows and help us stand in the light of your magnificence. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.