Light in the Darkness

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:4-5 

“Can you leave the door open, Mom, and turn up the light in the family room?”

“Will you plug in the night light and leave the door open a little?”

Over an over, more times than I can remember or could ever have counted, I heard those words uttered by my children when they were tiny (and even not so tiny). Quiet requests spoken as I began to leave the room after hugs, and kisses, and prayers.  I get it.  I used to want to make sure I always had some light as well, and to this day there are places in our home where a light can always be found as long as we are around. Why the requests for light?  Why the longing for light? 

We were made for light.  All of us. 

We were made for THE Light. 

Sin did a terrible thing to this earth.  It created fear, especially a fear of darkness, and it created darkness of so many kinds. All of us were born into sin, so we all began with darkness in our hearts. However, hallelujah, God did this for us: “For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) So if we put our trust in Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection, then we are transferred from the domain of darkness to the Kingdom of His Son (Jesus) (Colossians 1:13-14).  The Kingdom of Light! 

Jesus is the Light.

Though all of that is true, for now, this world is groaning under the weight of the darkness of sin and it’s ramifications.  We have to live in this old, groaning world and live with all the pain, trials, and suffering that come as a result of that darkness. I don’t know about you, but some days, like the ones this week, it can be hard to see anything but the darkness. When I talk to and hear about friend after friend facing incredible heartache, sometimes that Light can seem so dim, even though it never is. 

Christmas looms out in front of us now.  We are confronted at every turn with the joy, the fun, the merriment and it can all feel hollow when the darkness presses in.  If Christmas were just fun and merriment, love and family, the truth is, it would be hollow. We are all longing for something more.  And when the light seems dim, and darkness seems to be having victory, we long for the Light we were made for. I’ve faced such Christmases. 

When we lost our son in a tragic accident, I wrote one small paragraph in my journal about Christmas that year.  I think it was all I had in me. I said this, “Christmas is coming hard so far.  I long to buy two sets of presents and have two kids to help open them. I feel frustrated and irritable at stores. I can’t think one happy thought without a sad one attached...Lord, give me strength.”

The darkness felt heavy and I longed for the Light. 

Christmas is all about the Light. Not the light of the star that led the wise men.  Not the lights on our trees.  Not the lights on our houses or our candles.  Those are all reminders pointing to the one true Light of life. Just like it said in John 1:4-5, in Jesus we have life!  And that life, Jesus himself, is the light of men. He came at Christmas, he died on Good Friday, and he rose on Easter.  The living Christ is our light! 

That Light, the wonderful light of Jesus Christ, is the reason that no matter how dark life on this broken planet seems to get, no matter how the darkness of death, or cancer, or abuse, or dysfunction, or depression, or divorce, or joblessness, or aloneness, or whatever seems to reign, we can know, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The Light will prevail!  This darkness will not last forever because Christ has overcome all darkness.

I needed to be reminded of that all those years ago when the darkness seemed so heavy and felt like it was winning.  I’ve needed to be reminded of that many times since because the weight of the brokenness and sin in this world is often more than we can bear alone. 

If you are a believer in Jesus, it is your privilege and responsibility to be a reflection of that Light to all those who are broken, hurting, or lost around you this Christmas season and throughout the year. “...Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”(Matthew 5:16) We need to remember though, WE are not the light.  We are pointing people to the true Light with our lives. John said it like this:

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:6-9)

John was not the Light, he was sent to show people who the Light was.  We are not the Light, but if we are believers in Jesus, we are supposed to bear witness with our lives as to who the true Light is for which everyone longs. Sometimes we get that mixed up.  We see the darkness of death, or illness, or marriage trouble, or dysfunction and we think we need to come in with answers and fixes.  We think in essence, that we need to be the Light.  Only One can do that. Like the star, and the Christmas lights, and the candles, we are just supposed to point others to the true Light of Christ where they will find real answers and hope. We do that every time we truly listen to someone without an agenda or thinking we need to fix their pain.  We do that when we listen and believe their story.  We do that when we weep with the weeping. We do that when we meet a physical need. We do that when we send cards, or encouraging texts, or make a phone call to check-in.  We do that when we show we remember someone’s struggle and heartache.  We do that every time we stop and just pray right there with a person instead of telling him we will pray for him. We do that when we aren’t afraid to just be in the presence of the hurting and hurt with them. 

John 1:9 says “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” Today we know He not only came, but He gave everything, His very life, to be our Light.  He came to conquer sin and death and be our salvation and in that way, “Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness CANNOT OVERCOME IT.” That is Christmas.  

I know many of you will feel this month the way I did many years ago. I know many of you won’t be able to think a happy thought without a sad one attached.  Maybe you won’t even be able to come up with a happy thought at all.  The darkness can feel so consuming.  However, be encouraged, Christmas isn’t about fun and merriment, it is about the Light overcoming darkness forever. He is overcoming and someday, He will crush all the pain and darkness for good and redeem every bit of the sorrow you are enduring now.

I know there are others of you who love someone, or maybe several people, who are walking a dark road right now.  Don’t go be the light. Go point them to the Light,  not with your eloquent words, or answers to their pain, but with your presence in their pain, your listening ear, your hug, your help with the day to day, your tears mingled with theirs, your prayers said over them. 

Just like my kids, we all long for the Light, whether we realize it or not. Someday, we will get to see Him face to face. In the mean time, we need to allow God to use us to remind people with our love that the darkness has been overcome! 

Merry Christmas.  Let your lights shine as a reflection of the Light.