“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.” [Isaiah 9:2]
The church, nations and homes are in one darkroom or the other, an internal times of darkness. Darkroom experiences provides opportunity for personal and corporate spiritual renewal. We cannot be displayed in the light until the image of Jesus is produced in us. Prophet Isaiah’s words are filled with meaning for us today as we fumble and flounder in the darkness of our personal life, world, church and homes. The truth is that we are walking in darkness, the darkness of our own pride, ‘the darkness of our own worries and anxieties, the darkness of our own sins and shortcomings, the darkness of loneliness and isolation. Whatever burdens us, Isaiah invites us to be brought from darkness into God’s most marvellous light, which is found in the person of Jesus Christ.’
The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem as the fulfilment of biblical prophecy points to the dawn of a new age. Prophet Isaiah told of the coming Prince of Peace in the light of dispelling darkness. Darkness in this context is a rich metaphor of double motifs. Darkness points to the fact of human ignorance, that is, those who are in the dark, lacking knowledge, a world that had not received the grace of God through the revelation of the prophets and the written revelation of God. Those in darkness resonates with millions today still in deep darkness, rejecting Jesus Christ as God’s ONLY Son. This is evil and wilful blindness. True Christmas points to a Light of revelation in Jesus for the Gentiles
John declared, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came into His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.” Are you one of those in darkness today, rejecting the true light, Jesus Christ? Christmas is a celebration of light, the glory of God in the revelation of Jesus Christ, ‘the dividing line between the age of darkness and the age of light.’
The stanza 1 of the hymn, “When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word” points to the importance of our trust and obedience to the commandment of God. To walk in the light of God’s Word points to true Christmas as light revelation. Christmas is about Christ abiding in us as we abide in the revelation of His words. Of course, the blessing of Christmas is that, the Lord will shed His blessing and glory on our way. When we fail to experience God’s blessing and glory as promised in God’s Word, something is amiss, there is lack of knowledge, deep darkness. A true Christmas is celebrated when we come to understand, to know, to celebrate, and to receive the fact that Jesus Christ is not merely a Saviour, but our Saviour. Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?
Christmas calls the church and nations to stop walking, talking, and working in the darkness of ignorance, pride and sin. Christmas invites us to see a Great light, Jesus Christ shining on those who dwells in the land of the shadow of death. Psalm 23 points to the different dark times in our lives (v4). The shadow of death suggests anything causing us to feel as if we are walking in uncertainty, disobedience, and confusion. The dark times are dark valleys that make things worse as it separate us from God and His Words. Christmas reminds us that we can trust that God is always with us – Emmanuel, hence we are called to be light in the midst of darkness. The New Year 2022 calls us to shine the light of Jesus on every corner of our churches, nations, cities and our fellow citizens, and on every part of our life, marriage and ministry.
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