Light and Joy in a Dark World

26. November 2007 by BruceSmith.

Well, the Christmas season is now officially in full swing!  If you don’t like Christmas music, folks, you had better wear earmuffs for the next month, because every coffee shop, retail outlet, elevator, and radio station will be airing holiday cheer without ceasing.  I for one, love it.  The only drawback to this month-long barrage of glee is the inevitable crash after the New Year.  Don’t you wish we all lived in a state of perpetual Christmas bliss? 

For those of you out there who are more at home in the “Grinch” mode, I can only offer the following word of encouragement, “Lighten up!”  By lighten, I literally mean just that, allow some light to shine in on your perspective.  This is what the Christmas holiday is all about.  It is all about the light.

The scriptures read, “THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.” (Mtt. 4:16)

This is the reality of the Christmas season.  To us, a people, nation, world, living under the dark cover of brokenness and  light-less existence, The Light has come.  And what a great Light!  Let us begin the season, thinking not upon those dark realities around us which rob us of all joy and life, but rather, thinking upon the light of Christ revealed in tangible form, in that central moment in history. 

Think on this.  God, seeing our state of brokenness and need, moved toward us, and lowered Himself to join us in our plight!  Are you kidding me!? The Creator of the Universe, needing nothing, and in need of no one, so desired to extend relationship to you and I that He came to earth to live, walk, and die among us that we might see the light!  Wow.  What a thought, as we walk through the next 30 days of cheer, hopefully with smiles upon our faces and joy in our heart, the God of the universe looks down, smiling upon us, taking joy in our hope found in the celebration of His Light, His Son. 

As you listen to the music, and as you hang the lights this season, take great joy in the hope that has been extended to you.  No matter how dark your journey has been to this point, a light has come.  When you find yourself feeling all too alone during this holiday season, remember, The Light is here.  If you find yourself drowning in grief, sorrow, loneliness, and despair, look directly into the lights on the tree and give thanks that in the midst of your own personal darkness, The Light of Life is waiting to shine.  When that Light is allowed to shine upon your soul, the darkness must flee.

The passage from Matthew hearkens back to the same words found in Isaiah Chapter 9 which points to the coming of Christ, our One True Light, and reads,

2 The people walking in darkness
       have seen a great light;
       on those living in the land of the shadow of death 
       a light has dawned.

 6 For to us a child is born,
       to us a son is given,
       and the government will be on his shoulders.
       And he will be called
       Wonderful Counselor,  Mighty God,
       Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 7 Of the increase of his government and peace
       there will be no end.
       He will reign on David’s throne
       and over his kingdom,
       establishing and upholding it
       with justice and righteousness
       from that time on and forever.
       The zeal of the LORD Almighty
       will accomplish this.

This is the season of Great Light.  Walk in the light of God, bask in the glow of His smile upon you, and be intentional about sharing this light with others. 

Praying for your Light and Joy,

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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