A Christmas Meditation
It’s now winter, and recently I was up before the sun— I walked from the house to the truck, to crank it and let it get warm for the kids— and for me— the outside Christmas lights had gone off several hours before— it was a thick darkness— couldn’t even see my hot breath meet the cold air— the ignition sparked and woke up the old 2009 GMC to a grumbled a heavy sigh, much like me when I hit the snooze— we all need a few minutes to adjust to the waking— to the darkness— mornings— before the sun pours over the trees— it’s just dark, and cold. Everything moves pretty slowly.
The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
Isaiah 9:2 NLT
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Luke 2:8-14 NLT
Darkness and Light.
It seems odd that the first word in these Christmas texts is about darkness and night, but there it is.
Christmas is about Darkness being invaded and ruined by Light.
Jesus is this light— and he ruins the dark.
Luke 2:
NIGHT— Shepherds job was lower than a slave— day laborer— not trusted— unclean— tended sheep (dumb)— lots near Bethlehem— city of sacrifice— selling of the sheep— finding the unblemished one— blood—
Radiance of the Lord’s glory shone around them— light show— way bigger than the one at church— hopefully, we can point to Jesus with light— a fiery blazing of glory fire— all around them—
FEAR— terrified— Angel spoke— GOOD NEWS— DARK TO LIGHT
It is the darkest of places where the light shines the brightest
This text— Isaiah 9— is a prophecy— from darkness to shining light
Luke 2— is the story— in the darkness— a blazing glory— GOOD NEWS— life-saving— MESSIAH—JESUS—
It’s telling us what HAS HAPPENED— JESUS HAS COME— this is what it looked like— from darkness to light. It’s the first story— Genesis 1— In the beginning— Darkness to Light— Christmas begins in Genesis. It’s an ancient story of beginning, a prophecy, a living person coming to earth and being announced by a blazing glory to the least worthy audience. It has happened.
And Everything in scripture can be lived by us. We can experience Jesus Christ— Salvation— Messiah— DARKNESS TO LIGHT in real life.
What does it look like now— for the light of Jesus to explode in a blaze of glory— what does that look like for you— today— with this Christmas? It’s the same story— the same prophecy— the same promise— the same Jesus.
Well, let’s start with the beginning— what’s dark? Isaiah spoke of deep darkness— Luke spoke of the dark night— the graveyard shift— working while everyone else is asleep— surely you can feel where the dark is in your world.
Maybe it’s a darkness within your family, or in some relationship— and it seems as though the night will not end— as if there is a thick darkness that chokes out, blocks the inhale and hope of any light— the tension has become normal— the darkness has become a part of your story for so long that you wonder if there will ever be any light from heaven that will shine again.
Maybe the darkness is cold sickness— a bone-chilling reality that, at times, is even actually cold to the touch— a sleepless hour-by-hour pounding that feels no relief— and the darkness of this pain is closer than your skin, and deeper than the air in your lungs— and with every exhale you feel a finality that is too close for comfort— scared that the cold darkness will never let up.
The darkness can be so many things— we all begin in the dark— so many options make their way into our lives for deep darkness— it’s impossible to name them all— but there is only one light.
So what does it look like for this Jesus to light up your darkness? Will this light matter— for those of us walking in deep darkness?
If we’re looking for the light of Christmas— the blazing glory of God—to be something else than the arrival of Jesus Christ, which has already happened, then we will be let down. For Messiah is here— the light has come— it is an already present reality.
Yet you still feel no relief for the pain, you see no angel light show in your nighttime shift— you still suffer the dark— you still live in the tension of what has not been healed, or resolved…how can the light be here when the dark is still so real?
And all I know is that there is an old, ancient story— that keeps repeating itself all throughout scripture—
In the beginning, God created— Darkness to Light—
For the people who walk in deep darkness, a light will shine
For the shepherds watching in the dark of night, an angel with blazing glory
Christ was born in Bethlehem— out of the city of sacrifice and blood— the Messiah
And he was crucified with two thieves— and he rose from the dead
Friends, Christmas light is the great promise— that as real as the darkness gets— the light will be even more piercing— radiant— even more blazing with glory fire— do not give up hope— your redeemer— Jesus Christ— shines in the dark—
So, if you’re in the dark— look for the light— keep your eyes open— don’t succumb, and close your eyes. Lean on your church, together, we will catch glimpses of real light— every time we are together, every time we sing, every story of hope we hear— we’ll generously heap this light onto each other— because we hold this hope, this light— His name is Jesus— he has arrived— he is WITH us
It seems odd that the first word in these Christmas texts is about darkness and night, but there it is. And this darkness is not where we stay. We are defiant— we are expecting— we are enlightened.
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. Luke 2:15-20 NLT