In college, we used to chase sunsets through the cornfields of Indiana.
Wide open skies and long dirt roads led us west, following the sun. (I probably miss this the most about Indiana – that and star gazing on soft ball dugouts but back to the sunsets.)
Don’t get me wrong we get plenty of beautiful sunsets here (ever heard of Manhattanhenge??) – the skyline erupts in oranges, pinks, and purples before fading to black, with city lights flickering on as buildings illuminate the night. Yet, there’s something unmatched about sunsets in the middle of nowhere: minimal distractions and colors that light up differently. If you haven’t seen one, you really should make a pass through those flyover states sometime.
If you’ve known me very long, you know that I love chasing light in all the beautiful ways both metaphorically and literally. In a city that never sleeps, light is everywhere. Flashing lights. Stop lights. Lights in the windows. Bright-light advertisements. Sunlight that is mostly just reflected from the next skyscraper down. Light is everywhere at all times in tons of ways.
This week I decided to take a boat ride on my sabbath (rest) day. I timed it out so that I’d be on the roof deck of the boat at sunset and sitting on the next pier as the sun dipped down so that I could be back on the next boat as the sky faded to black.
It was perfect.
And then I started thinking about how I couldn’t remember the last time I simply sat in the sunlight, with no specific place to go and in no hurry. Because the city is so tall, I often go without open-sky exposure to the sun. But light is everywhere, as you can see in the pictures above.
While on the boat, I was reading in the book of Romans where Paul writes these words:
Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things (Rom. 1:22-23 ESV).
Have I exchanged the glory and beauty of Light for manufactured lights?
If I’m honest, sometimes it’s easier to rely on my own know-how than to take the time to fill myself with God’s presence. Rather than being refreshed like sunlight on my skin, I’ve settled for things that don’t actually nourish me.
I catch myself chasing value in what people think of me or how much I can produce. I spend hours scrolling through social media, thinking it’ll help me feel refreshed—but those manufactured lights never give me the real boost I’m after. And the real kicker? I’ve been okay with that.
Have you been there?
In the book of John, Jesus describes himself in several different “I Am” statements. The one that stands out to me is found in the 8th chapter, verse 12 where Jesus says:
"I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Jesus, the source of light that brings life, and life to the full.
I firmly believe that there is an enemy who comes to destroy and steal. One of his tactics is to distort the truth—manufacturing things that mimic and remind us of true light but are merely facades. These distractions can appear appealing, like bright neon signs, but they’re not the nourishing sunlight we need.
I find myself wandering towards the lights that burn out—chasing approval, seeking quick fixes, and striving forward. But Jesus offers a different reality: one where we don’t need to chase artificial lights or validation that fades away. Instead, He invites us to find real refreshment, to experience a light that genuinely pushes back the darkness and restores our souls.
I hope that when the story of my life is told, people would say that I lead people towards this kind of true Light. This week, Jesus caught my attention, and I feel like we’ve got some work to do together.
What might His invitation look like for you? What lights are you chasing? What is distracting you from true Light?
May your life be a beacon, radiating God’s goodness and mercy – behind you, beside you, before you. Amen.