My favorite Christmas light

So I just got back from a little walk through the neighborhood again and today enjoyed seeing all those Christmas lights in windows and yards everywhere. And as I am having a cup of coffee with some yummy German Christmas Cake (or “Stolle” as we call it ☺️) I am also surrounded by warm candlelight in my newly decorated living room. Christmas Season at its best.

Sounds beautiful and romantic but why I love this season and all the lights, goes deeper and beyond nice decorations. The Bible tells us that Jesus is our light and that He is the one who overcomes all darkness. This thought has been resonating in my spirit all week, since I read this prophecy of Isaiah on Monday:

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I love it how how Old Testament and New Testament go hand in hand, how our Bible as a whole tells the story of love and redemption and only when we dig deeper do we truly understand how God has been writing His story with mankind all along. This prophecy was already pointing to Jesus who is that great light and who would one day come into this world shining His light on us who are walking in deep darkness.

As Luke is having 24 chapters, it’s a great book to read in the 24 days until Christmas, one chapter each day. I only started today though and so read Zechariah’s prophesy this morning:

“because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:78-79‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Zechariah is also speaking of Jesus, the Messiah, who they all had been waiting for and for whom his son John, later called the Baptist, would prepare the way.

And when I read these verses I was reminded of one of my favorite passages in the Bible in John 1. There we read:

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:4-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Darkness is defined as the absence of light but as soon as there is light darkness flees and disappears, it cannot prevail in the light let alone overcome the light. But not only the prophets and John the disciple have claimed the Messiah to be this light that would overcome all darkness, Jesus himself told us:

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””
‭‭John‬ ‭8:12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus is the light of this world, He is the one who overcomes all darkness – be it around us, be it in our circumstances or be it deep down in our hearts and souls. He is the true light in which we find peace, hope and joy.

To many people Christmas is the season of holly, jolly celebrations, a time for decorations and gifts and for most it has become a very hectic and demanding season where we try our very best to create a perfect, harmonious picture and please everyone around us. But the message of Christmas goes way beyond that, it’s a message of love and hope. The joy we so often sing about in our Christmas Charols does not come from great food, mulled wine or perfectly picked and beautifully wrapped gifts. It doesn’t even come from the precious times we spend with our family and friends. The true joy of Christmas lies within the good news that the light of this world was born on that Christmas Eve over 2000 years ago and that this true light would overcome darkness once and for all.

And maybe for you Christmas this year is not as bright and shining as it seems to be for everyone around you. Maybe it reminds you of someone you lost, maybe you are currently going through struggles in your job, have received a devastating diagnosis, are facing divorce or your children choosing the wrong paths. Whatever your darkness looks like let me tell you that no darkness can overcome the light of this world. Jesus is the light that can light up your darkness if you let Him. He can guide you through the dark seasons into new hope and into new life, a life of abundance in Him.

So whether you are currently in a bright or in a dark season of your life, let each Christmas candle that you light up in the next few weeks remind you of the One true light that will always keep shining brightly for you, even when all other lights have gone out.

Have a blessed first advent and a wonderful Christmas season!

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