A few weeks ago, I went to Tennessee to visit my stepfamily. One of the highlights of the trip was Craighead Caverns, a large cave system that includes an underground lake. We had a great time observing all the unique structures and listening to urban legends that went along with them. The most memorable part of the tour was in one of the smaller rooms of the cave where our tour guide turned off the lights. She explained that this is one of the few places left on earth where a person can truly experience complete darkness.

As soon as the shut the lights off, I realized how true that statement was because I haven’t been in any darkness like this before. Even when I close my eyes in a dark room, I’m still aware of the moonlight streaming in from the window, the tiny lightbulbs coming from various electronics, and the artificial lights creeping through the crack under the door. In the cave, however, I felt completely absent from any source of light. I waved my hand in front of my face and couldn't see anything at all.

Our tour guide claimed that if we were left there in the dark for more than two weeks, our retinas would burn out from constantly searching for any hint of light. Thus, the darkness would literally blind us. While my later research indicates that this is actually a myth, the fact that people have come up with this idea goes to show how important light is to us. Without it, we have no reference for where we are or where we’re going. This unique experience reminded me how much we have to rely on God in our everyday lives. The very first thing He made during Creation Week was light. We take its presence for granted because it's everywhere, but its complete absence would be very unsettling. Thankfully, we don't have to live in the darkness because God is the light and He will not forsake us.