December 8, Light Has Come

Florence Nightingale, the British founder of modern nursing, spent many years observing her patients and gathering helpful knowledge about best practices for nursing care. One thing she noticed about her patients was that they usually turned their heads towards a window or source of light. There was something intrinsically helpful and healing about the light that drew their eyes towards it. She noticed that color and light were both helpful for a patients’ mental and physical healing.

Perhaps that is one reason that many of our winter celebrations feature lights and luminaries of many kinds. It seems as though humanity is reaching for the light to chase away the gloom of darkness.

Many cultures associate darkness with evil and light with what is good. And, indeed, scripture often makes a similar association. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the Messiah as One who brings life like a light into the world shadowed with the darkness of death.

Isaiah 9:2 (WEB)
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
The light has shined on those who lived in the land of the shadow of death.

We are the people who have walked in a land of darkness. Sometimes we feel it in the heaviness of just trying to make it day by day in our own strength. We can see the darkness of sin in our world by the way people treat each other, the wars and fighting in our world, or in the selfishness in our own hearts.

But Isaiah prophesies that a light has come into the world. He calls it a GREAT Light! I like that. It makes me think of a beaming light that chases every bit of gloom away. A light that reaches far and wide. And he says that it is shining on us-the people who live in the land of the shadow of death.

What is that light? Well, the Apostle Matthew said Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus’ coming (Matthew 4:12-17). And Jesus Himself said He was that light:

John 8:12 (WEB)
Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

We can do one of two things with that light. We can turn away from it, and hide in the darkness. Or we can turn our faces towards it, like Florence Nightingale’s patients, and find healing. Light tends to reveal things. We all need a bit of revelation in our lives. God may need to reveal things that we need to change. Or He may need to reveal things that we have kept hidden away. Areas that need the healing only He can give. Sometimes we just need the truth that His light brings into our lives, to guide us along the way.

We can also share that light with others. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world…Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14a,16 WEB) As Jesus shines His light and life into your heart and soul, bringing you restoration and healing, ask Him to help you shine His light to others, as well.

One thing we can be sure of. Jesus’ light has come into our world, and it will overcome the darkness (John 1:4-5) The Jewish tradition of starting a day at sundown originated from God’s creation of the world. It says over and over again in Genesis 1, “and the evening and the morning were the first day,” and so on. Each day starts with the evening and ends with the daylight. I find this a hopeful metaphor for the destiny of the world. Though we are living in the land of the shadow of death, a light, Jesus Christ, has dawned. We look forward with hope to a future reality when God makes all things new, when there will be no more death and no more darkness. When there will be a healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-5) We have the hope of a future that chases the dark away and is full of the light of life.

Hold onto this hope. Turn your face towards the light of life, Jesus Christ. And may His healing be upon us.

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