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Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.”
Darkness seems to threaten so many sacred places in our times. Morality is compromised. Marriage is being attacked. Children are not valued. People feel isolated and alone. And so much more.
The battle rages. Yet, we have a conquerer, a warrior on our side, one who has already won victory. He is with us.
Sometimes it does not feel like He is winning the battle, darkness can occasionally overwhelm. We may champion alongside Him and sing His praises as we watch Him bring a rousing victory, in time. But we are warriors in the midst of evil, to bring His light and truth to bear on our world and to show our children that reality daily, moment by moment. We are agents of His grace and light and have the privilege one time on this earth to sing, teach and tell of His ways and light, until the victory dinner when we see Him face to face.
Living wistfully in dream-land as a child, I was quite sensitive to beauty, to the “thin places” where heaven and earth almost meet, and was given to imagining worlds beyond my own. A light seemed to burn inside that whispered of a glorious beyond. I see that it was the Holy Spirit drawing me. And so it is with many children today. They have a God-given desire to believe beyond what they see in this world. They live in imaginary stories as they dance in the wind, admire the stars, pick a beautiful flower.
Yet, it is ours, as the curator of beauty of God’s art in this life, to help open the eyes of their hearts to see and experience the infinite, living God.
Christmas Eve in New Mexico, where I lived, was spent opening stockings and one present that my brothers and I were given after dinner. The grand finale, the whip cream of the evening was an event that delighted my little girl heart each year. Our family of 5 would quietly patter into our Southwestern stucco church inside the grand sanctuary that was covered over with heavy wooden beams and paneling. The lights would be dim and the pews crowded as we pushed hard to make more room for all the families who had visiting relatives, come to celebrate the coming of Christ.
My pastor was from Australia and had an elegant accent. He would read the passages from Luke which underlined the angels saying “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace amongst men in whom he is well pleased.” Angels singing in the night sky, a baby born and worshipped—it filled my little girl heart imagination. Even then I loved words and lived into the starry night and events that thrilled the shepherds and common folk who ran to see the newborn babe.
At that point, all lights (I mean all lights!) would be dimmed so that one couldn't even see a hand in front of one’s face. “This paints the picture of what life would be like without God, without His love, His life, HIs presence, His fatherhood in our lives. We are all dark and cannot even find the way to live life.”
Then my pastor would light one candle and say, “But Jesus did not want us to live in darkness, so He became the light in the world that brought us love, purpose, and forgiveness, and restored us to the love God wanted us to know from the beginning of time. When we share this light with others who were also born to know Him, we will bring back His light into our world.”
Then he would share his candle with the one next to him and everyone in the room would share with the people surrounding them and little by little the room would become bright, with the picture blazing in my mind and burning in my heart that I wanted to be a light bearer.(We must never forget the wonder that is growing deep inside each little one. )
“Come swiftly, O Lord, to the dark moments when we are lost. Make us aware of Thy presence. Strengthen us to resist the urges and pulls to deeper darkness.Stir us to move away from the dark moments of sinful selfishness toward the light of thy forgiveness. Come quickly, O Lord, as we call—or forget to call—and keep Thous close to us and keep us close to Thee this day and night and as far as the days and nights stretch before us, and we see you face to face, through Jesus Christ. Amen.” -James Kennedy, Holy Island
John 1:4-5 tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it.
"If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light will be night," Even the darkness is not dark to thee, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to thee." Psalm 139: 11-12
"I am the light of the world. In me is no darkness at all."
“And the people who were living in darkness have seen a great light.”
“Let your light so shine amongst men that they may see my glory …” -Jesus
May our lights show forth today and may we walk in the light of His counsel.
Peace and grace to you today.