The Earth’s oceans are a bit mysterious to landlubbers, aren’t they? Especially the farther down you go.

The top Zone of the ocean, 200 meters or less from the surface, is called the “sunlight” zone. This zone hosts the vast majority of fish, sea mammals and aquatic plant life that we’d be familiar with.

In the next zone down, the “twilight” zone, the amount of sunlight rapidly diminishes. Such a tiny amount of light penetrates this region that photosynthesis is no longer possible.

But it’s the lowest reaches of the oceans that are the most otherworldly and forbidding.

The bottom zone, below 1,000 meters, is called the “midnight” zone, and with good reason. Sunlight has no hope of penetrating this far down. These inky depths are darker than most humans have ever experienced.

And yet some creatures down here have eyes.

What on earth for? What is there to see in this eternal darkness?

There’s actually still light in the deepest part of the oceans. It comes not from the sun but from bioluminescent creatures. Some deep-sea organisms, like jellyfish, can generate and emit light much the way fireflies do here on land.

There’s still light, even in areas where sunlight never penetrates and the darkness seems impossible to vanquish. Even in the “midnight” zone.

Are you going through a “midnight” of your own?

Does it seem to you that you’re living in a kind of darkness, that you’ll never see the light of day in your situation?

Rest assured that there’s no place on earth where God’s light can’t reach you.

Scripture tells us that no matter where we are, God can be right there with us, illuminating our darkness:

“Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,’
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.” (Psalm 139:7-12)

If you’re already a believer, no trial or tribulation can separate you from God’s light. He is with you in all of them.

“Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.” (Psalm 112:4)

If you’re not yet a believer in God, He extends His light to you, too. There is no situation too dark that God can’t redeem it, no place you find yourself in where God can’t reach you, and nothing you’ve done that precludes a relationship with Him. It all starts with believing in His Son, Jesus.

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’ ” (John 8:12)

“I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.” (John 12:46)

If there’s light even in the darkest, most remote depths of the oceans, I think God means us to learn something from that:

There’s no place God’s Light can’t shine!

© 2021 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.