The Light

Isaiah 60: 1-3

“1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,

but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”

Have you ever been in a cave in which the lights were turned off?  The darkness in a cave is darker than any darkness I have ever witnessed.  Inside a cave, no light penetrates and the darkness feels heavy and thick, almost solid.  When someone shines a light into that darkness, it immediately lifts that thick, heavy feeling.

The birth of the Messiah represents God’s light shining forth into a dark world, a world covered in thick, spiritual darkness.  A light shining in such darkness would be a beacon of hope for the lost of all nations.  

But will we follow this light?  John tells us that the “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19).  

The darkness is thick, but the light has shone forth, is now shining, and will shine forth for the hope of the world.  

Walk in the brightness of Christ’s new day.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)