Zarach: Shining Light Into Dark Places

In yesterday’s Eastern Daily Press: Gas workers uncovered an object. They suspected it was a Second World War bomb… needed to discover what it was – shine light into their uncertainty.

Police officers set up a 100-metre cordon; residents were evacuated, the bomb squad was called. They discovered that the suspected bomb was not explosive; it was the base of a lamppost. Excellent! Shining light on their mystery object!

The evening news showed President Trump arriving in Scotland. There were pictures of him playing golf on his Turnberry golf course, and interviews with local residents… Did Trump’s ownership of the golf course benefit the local community?

This led to a report on the continuing saga of Trump and the Epstein files… further interviews with Trump supporters and opponents… the call for ‘transparency’… shining light into a dark place.

Yesterday I was reading about Zarach, a Leeds-based charity that provides children with beds. But why is it called Zarach? Apparently, it’s a Hebrew word, meaning ‘light rising’ It was inspired by a conversation between Bex Wilson, the deputy-head teacher who founded the charity, and the mother of the boy who received the first bed. The mother said that Bex had ‘brought her light when she was in a very dark place’

I discovered…

..Zarach’s in my Bible. Isaiah 60 includes examples of ‘Zarach’: ‘Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you…’

…Zarach is often associated with dawn… the Zarach charity enables children to have a good night’s sleep and face a bright new dawn.

…Old Testament references to Zarach point forward to the Messiah, the great light that will come.

…Jesus’ birth is described as ‘light entering the darkness’. Jesus states that he is ‘the light of the world’. He’s that Zarach.

…Jesus calls his followers to ‘Let your light shine’; be His Zarach in a dark world.

Zarach is a great name for the bed-providing charity. This morning I’m musing on whether I’m being a Zarach…