Though ancient, these words from the prophet Isaiah sound all too familiar to our modern experience:
So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead. We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves. We look for justice, but find none; for deliverance, but it is far away
(Is 59:9-11).
Sounds rather bleak, doesn’t it?
But don’t we growl like bears and moan like doves looking for light?
BUT listen to these words that follow:
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn
(Is 60:1-3).
Yes!
Light has come!
For Jesus has come.
And He came declaring: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. … I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (Jn 8:12; 12:46).
And He bids, “Follow!”
His light has risen upon us.
It is a light which overcame
darkness and the world.
The very life of Jesus is “the light of all mankind” (Jn 1:4).
He is the light of men,
for the only light in man is that which comes from Him.
And His Word gives light.
Light, so the eyes of faith can see—
His heart and His will,
His plans and purposes,
His deeds past,
and promises for the future.
Light,
it has power
to shatter all darkness;
to expel those things that
haunt us,
trouble us,
that make us afraid.
Today, allow His light to shatter all shards of darkness—
for that is the best start to a new year.