Back in March I dusted off my limited skills with a camera. It was partly enforced. As the government took us into the first lockdown, churches all around the country had to close their doors. Our services had to move online which meant I needed to learn how to make videos, fast.

As the weeks went by, I scoured the internet looking for advice. Over and over again I was told that one of the most important aspects of videoing is the lighting. To make a good video you need good light.

The same is true in photography. Spring turned into summer and, spurred on by my son, I decided to take the camera out to try to capture some of the views on the Wash. My first trip was during lunchtime. I scouted out some possible locations and tried some test shots. The composition wasn’t too bad, but it all looked flat in the high sunlight.

I went back to take the same shots around sunset and the next day at sunrise, the so-called golden hours. I couldn’t believe the difference in the pictures. Whether I was shooting with the sun in front of me or behind me, the golden light transformed the scene dramatically. It even made a straggly weed look good.

That experience gave me a fresh understanding of a statement that Jesus made about himself. He tells us that he is ‘the light of the world’ (John 8:12). What does that mean? Jesus is claiming to be the one who brings hope to the world by shining the light of God.

And what happens as we let him shine his light on our lives? The Bible says that we will be changed, now and forever. The light makes a difference.

Why write this? It’s strikes me that it’s very easy to think of Christianity as a religion of rules and traditions. Yet, that isn’t how the Bible puts it. In its pages we discover a person. Someone we can encounter for ourselves. That someone is Jesus and Biblical Christianity is all about him.

If you want to know more about Jesus, we’re in the process of putting a series of videos on our YouTube Channel that go Step by Step through Mark’s Gospel. Each video is a short talk explaining a passage from the Bible, introducing Jesus.

Praying you all keep safe and well.