Advent Day Six

Isaiah 9:2

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

There is no question that the last couple of years have been rather ‘dark’ as we consider all of the issues that we have faced.  We’ve confronted moments when we couldn’t see the path forward and times when we have felt isolated and alone.  Many have become weary as they have faced life’s challenges and struggled with issues relating to their own mental health and well being. 

To any who have wondered, “Can a person find value in the ‘darkness’?, Barbara Brown Taylor offers a response.  In her interesting book titled “Learning to Walk in the Dark” she writes “I have learned things in the dark that I could never have learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again, so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need darkness as much as I need light”

One of the great lessons learned in the dark is that we become aware of our need for the light.  We crave the ability to see where we are and feel some assurance as we step into the future.  Darkness creates a deep hunger for the light.  

What must it have been like to live in the ‘darkness’ that existed before the coming of Jesus?  Think about the desire that was found in the hearts of the people that the Messiah would come.  

As we experience the darkness of our world, may our hearts crave the coming of Jesus — the Light of the World.