“…the Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone.” John 1:4 (NLT)

My two year old loves his Jesus Storybook Bible, with its sweet illustrations and Scripture woven as story. He began requesting ‘the John one’ a couple weeks ago, and each night I happily settle into his teeny bed and read him the story of John the Baptist. He giggles at the drawing of a camel-hair-clothed John, complete with beard and scraggly hair, a jar of honey and locusts in hand. He listens intently as I read of God’s never-ending love for us and the song John sang about it. He sees the drawing of people being baptized and says, ‘Dey are in de water!’ And he points to Jesus, waiting on the bank to be baptized, and says His name sweetly, as only a two year old can, ‘Jesus standing dere.’

Last week, my son waited until the story was finished and asked me a question. Sometimes his two year old lingo takes some translating, and I couldn’t quite get what he was asking, until he took the Bible, turned to the last page of the John one, and pointed to a sentence, repeating, “What ‘breaking through’ mean?”

My little boy was referring to the line in the story that said, ‘Heaven had broken through.’ As I scrambled in my bedtime-exhausted-mom state of mind to come up with an answer, God supplied one and I said simply, ‘It means that God came to be with us, baby.’

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Over plates of late-night appetizers, we admitted deep fears and dreams. We came to the realization that living in the light is much, much scarier than living in the dark. Sometimes self-loathing, self-medicating and self-absorption can be far more comfortable than living loved. When we step into the light that is already in us, we can actually see, and the thought of that may strike quick-breathed fear into our hearts because not only can others see us when we’re lit up, but we can see ourselves.

Why is it so hard to see ourselves as the beloved that we are? To tap into the light, grow into our gifts, shine brightly and unafraid? I recently heard a speaker say that as women, often we are labeled as too much and not enough. Could it be that we fear one or both of these? That we are not enough – for ourselves, our spouse, our kids, our God? That we are too much – too loud, too bright, too quiet, too full? There is such fear in vulnerability, and when we live into the light and expose our true selves, well, that’s vulnerability at its utmost. Fear of being too much, fear of being not enough, fear of rejection of our true selves – these are everyday struggles that our Creator tries to combat with these verses (and so many more):

“…the Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone.” John 1:4 (NLT)

When the Word created, He called it all good – including you, friend – and His life brought light into everyone – including you, friend. Heaven has broken through. The light is here, and it is in you, and you indeed shine. No matter your story, no matter your mess, because it is HIS light and to doubt the presence of His light in you is to doubt the presence of Him.

Heaven has indeed broken through, and that means beautiful light can shine in the darkest areas of our hearts and lives. God has come to be with us. With all of your fears, and all of your too much, and all of your not enough… He beckons you to stand proudly in the light He brought with Him, for me, for you, for everyone.

In what areas of your heart or life do you need Heaven to break through? Leave it in the comments and let’s pray for one another.

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