Psalm 36 speaks about light and life in the same breath. No wonder. Most creatures need light to live—if not directly, then at least indirectly. So light and life go together.

All light and all life have their source in God. In the Bible’s first creation story (Genesis 1), there is only darkness until God says, “Let there be light.” Under that light, life emerges. In the Bible’s final new-creation story (Revelation 22:1-5), there is no darkness but only God’s light and an ever-fruitful tree of life.

And then there is Jesus. Crucified on a tree of death, he is the light of the world. And that light is our life. Jesus says, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

As I write this, the darkness of winter is approaching. But ­every winter, no matter how dark and gloomy, gives way to the light and life of spring. In the same way, by his death on the cross Jesus defeated darkness and death, and by his resurrection he shines the springtime light of God’s new creation over the horizon. We still have to wait a while. But the time is coming when there will be no darkness and no death—only light and life!