A laughing morning

A small dark room where a single ember catches and bursts into sudden bright flame, a window behind it already turning gold with sunrise, showing darkness overtaken by joy, with the words “a laughing morning” lettered by hand.

My Lord, the darkness isn’t yours. It’s all mine, except that, because it’s mine, my darkness is yours too. Everything is yours to save or to destroy. So destroy my darkness, and rise up, my perfect joy. Love that was there before everything, live coal glowing in every night, blaze out and frighten the bad things away with your brightness, and fill my tent with the delight of a laughing morning. Amen.

For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God lights up my darkness.

Psalm 18:28 (BSB)

Adapted from George MacDonald, Diary of an Old Soul (1880), in plain words. The verse is from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). Drawing: Mutter.