During this season of Advent, of expectation, wanting, and longing, we hope and search for so many things. I think LIGHT is one of those things because it brings clarity, illumination, and direction.
Most of us want to see clearly, walk confidently, and plan purposefully. And light is one of the tools that can help us do this.
HOW I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW
Maybe some of you remember the lyrics to the song, “I Can See Clearly Now,” by Johnny Nash.
I can see clearly now the rain is gone.
I can see all obstacles in my way.
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.
It’s gonna be a bright (bright)
bright (bright) sunshiny day.
(My apologies for putting that tune in your head for the rest of the day 😉 )
As I come to the end of this year and pause to reflect on the past eleven months, I, too, am hoping to see clearly now.
Not necessarily because the rain is gone (in fact, the weather is still stormy at times), but rather because the LIGHT HAS COME.
LOVING THE LIGHT
First, a little something you need to know about me. I love lights, candles, fireworks…anything that illuminates the darkness.
This year I am especially obsessed with those LED glimmer string lights. The battery-operated ones with the flexible wire that you can put just about anywhere? You can find them everywhere in my house: on the mantel, in arrangements and centerpieces, stuck in glass jars, and wrapped around practically everything. One of my favorite things to do as dusk gently creeps in is to go around the house pushing all the little buttons and switches to turn on my tiny, sparkling bursts of joy and brightness. I know, it doesn’t take much.
Why, though? Why does a single candle flickering, a bowl of mini lights twinkling, or a simple tree shining in a neighbor’s yard evoke such feelings of peace, comfort, and wonder?
I think it has something to do with the opposite of light–darkness.
WALKING IN DARKNESS
Darkness brings fear, uncertainty, hopelessness, and ignorance.
When we walk into a dark room, we immediately search for the light switch before we can see or do anything. Darkness conceals, hides, obscures, and blinds. Without light, we can stumble, fall, or even stand frozen with fright.
While we understand this experience on a literal level, many of us also know what it means to encounter darkness spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.
The bumps and bruises, the hurt and pain, the confusion and distortion we endure are because we cannot see things clearly. The light has NOT come.
And if we are truly honest with ourselves, sometimes we do not want it to come.
I am not talking about the sparkling, shimmering light that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. What about the bright, hot, white spotlight that hurts our eyes, forcing us to see things we did not even realize were there?
WHAT THE LIGHT CAN REVEAL
Lightness also exposes, reveals, and illuminates. And it is not always pretty, right?
The lights in my hallway were off late one night when I had to grab something at the bottom of my pantry. The only light on as I scrounged around on my knees was the fluorescent bulb from the closet. Wow, did I get an eyeful down there on the floor! An absolutely gross and disgusting mixture of crumbs, dog and cat hair, old goldfish, dust bunnies, and a few stray pasta noodles and rice kernels. I was so appalled by what the light revealed that I totally forgot what I needed in the pantry. Instead, I ran to get the dustbuster!!
So there are two sides to having the light come…one we welcome and one we may not.
But is it really worth it to remain in darkness when we can experience the true joy, truth, and freedom that light can bring?
The prophet Isaiah talked about people who were walking in this kind of darkness, desperately searching for some way to fix themselves and their broken world. They struggled with wanting to see things but could not accept what the light showed them.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Isaiah 9:2-3, 6 (ESV)
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.“
THE LIGHT HAS COME
The only thing that can dispel darkness is light. And this light is not a thing or an inanimate object.
This light is a PERSON. This light is alive, present, and powerful.
In the beginning the Word already existed.
John 1:1-5 (NLT)
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
This is the truth of Christmas and the hope the birth of Jesus brings: THE LIGHT HAS COME.
And this is why I can see clearly now. And these are the truths I am learning as I try to walk in this light.
LET’S WALK TOGETHER IN THE LIGHT
My prayer is that 2020 will be one of illumination for all of us. I hope to see you on the other side where we can walk in the light together. It would be an honor if you joined me by signing up to be an email subscriber so that we can encourage one another!
This is such a beautiful post. The sermon spoken at my church Sunday was about how we are the light and how we should let our light shine for others to see Jesus. I love this whole post here.
Lora
Thank you, Lora! This is such an encouragement to me. During dark times, it is good to remember that the LIGHT HAS COME!! Amen!