Light Shines In The Darkness

LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS

By a Friend of Theotots, Betty Rotiche

It is that favorite time of the year for those people who love Christmas. Years ago, I was visiting with a friend’s family in Marion, Indiana. One night, she took me to a park where the nativity scene was recreated using Christmas lights. What a spectacular sight on a dark cold winter night! Every Christmas, the memories of that park flash through my mind. The darkness of the winter night was in deep contrast to the light radiated by the little Christmas lights. Regardless of the enormity of the darkness surrounding the park, the Christmas lights shone in the darkness and brought untold warmth in the hearts of those visiting the park.

Jesus vs Herod

That scene expounds to me what the Bible means when it says in John 1:4-5,9 “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…The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. On the night Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph were fully aware of the great destiny that awaited their newborn son but oblivious of Herod’s reaction to the birth of Christ and the successive heinous acts. While everyone rejoiced on hearing the news of the birth of Christ, Herod was enraged. The Feud between Jesus the baby and Herod the ruler is astounding and a classic example of light vs darkness. You see, when Jesus was born, Herod was already a ruler. It does not make sense why he got intimidated. Luckily the darkness of Herod’s heart does not dim the light Christ came to bring to the entire world because God in his greater power and knowledge, intervened by sending Joseph and Mary to Egypt before Herod executed his evil plan. Darkness did not overcome the light.

Herod was focused on guarding a limited geographical territory but Jesus was destined to shine his light globally and eternally to all mankind. 2 Corinthians 4:6 asserts that it is God the Father who commanded “Let light shine out of darkness.” It further expounds that that light is actually the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Jesus brought light into the darkness of man’s sins that had veiled their knowledge of God.

There is no night so dark that the dawn will not break.

That light that Jesus brought is available to illuminate your heart and my heart so we have a better knowledge of God the father. Sin cannot defeat us because the light of Christ shines into the darkness of sin. That light is there to shine into the dark places of our hearts and our lives. We should not be afraid of any dark situation. You see, even in nature, there is no night so dark that the dawn will not break, not even on a long winter night. The Psalmist in 27:1 confidently affirms that “The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall, I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?” This Christmas, the light still shines in the darkness, let the light of Christ illuminate your heart and life.

Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV).