Let There Be Light
I've been reflecting on this most wonderful time of the year very much recently.
The songs... The lights and decorations... The TV Specials... The weather... (I'm in Atlanta so that only means so much.)
I've also thought about the competing narratives we hear and see so often during this season of the year: The story of a young lady, soon to be married, who is visited by and angel and given life-changing news and the competing story of the latest pair of shoes or the hottest toy that will release in limited quantity and are must-haves this year. The story of a hurried journey taken by a pregnant woman and her betrothed, riding on a donkey, to a far place and the narrative of the latest model vehicle decorated with a giant bow sitting in the well-manicured driveway of an immaculate house on a quiet street in a beautiful neighborhood. The story of the birth of a child who would change the world and the story of lists and "toys" and ribbon and wrapping paper and trees and food and...
And, well, you get the point, I'm sure.
You and I both know very well that Christmas is more. Christmas, for me, is so much more than the latter of these competing narratives. And the scope of what Christmas means goes beyond the wonderful celebration we look ahead to with earnest anticipation. I hope over the next few days to share some conclusions I've come to as a result of my reflecting on these things.
Today, I want to share this thought: We were in darkness. He brought LIGHT.
The Bible says that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless empty, and dark. Not the most exciting place to be. There was no beauty there. No brilliant lights, nothing glorious; nothing even hinting at it. Just a shapeless, dark void.
But God was there.
This is significant. There before him lay something that was completely undesirable.
But, God knew what he was doing.
God entered into the massless, shapeless terrible darkness. And in the middle of this horrific, gross darkness He spoke. His very word caused the cosmos to tremble and shake and respond to his command: "Let there be light." And there was light.
This is Christmas.
He shows us in the first two verses of the entire book what everything hinges on.
There was darkness. He brought light.
The story is replete throughout scripture. God enters into dark places to connect to his people. Then brings light into the darkest and most hopeless situations to reveal Himself and His glory to his people.
This is Christmas. This is why I celebrate. Because of the assurance that Light is come and darkness is no more. and because of the hope that Light will come, and darkness will forever be no more.
“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and it’s lamp is the Lamb... Amen. Come Lord Jesus!”