“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John 1:5

Yesterday was a very special day in our city. 26,000 people from all over the world ran to remember the 168 people lost, hundreds of survivors, and the countless number of people forever changed by the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building. The inaugural Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon took place in April 2001, and each year since, thousands of people come to our city to remember.

The theme of light and darkness always comes to my mind around this time of year due to the anniversary of the bombing and the marathon. The race has become the symbol of light over darkness and is the event that defines the resiliency and unity of our city.

The book of John begins with a description of the coming Messiah naming him the “light [that] shines in darkness”. Living in a fallen world, it is so easy to see the darkness around us. Our hope is in the light of Jesus and his love in which darkness will never overcome.