I like sunrises, some prefer sunset, and perhaps some can’t tell the difference. My preference is sunrise, the crowds are often smaller! Something about light mixing with darkness makes the moment special. Someone has said that no two are alike. I am not sure if that is true, but each one is special. Even on cloudy days there is something mysterious about darkness coming to color.
Christmas is light coming to the darkness. Both the sunrise of the manger, and the sunset of Calvary where Jesus dies; light mixes with darkness to make a mysterious glory. John writes, “the darkness did not overcome it.”
In the darkness of my living room today a stranger met me. Scared me to death, until I realized it was the Christmas tree we bought yesterday. It stood there rather imposing until the light revealed better what it really was.
Often, this is how people view God in the darkness their sin envelops them. They think God is an enemy, and not a friend. God can not overlook your sin, but in the darkness He came to die and make payment to clear your name. Yet, some only think of God as an angry judge. The result is they decide to ignore Him, inventing an excuse or denying His reality.
The one thing they don’t do is allow the light to shine. The light shining will reveal their sin more clearly, but better yet it will reveal God’s kindness and smile in the face of their need. Seeing in full light his grace will bring you out of the darkness your actions have created. Look at the other tree the Easter tree, the cross of Christ, where God demonstrates his love toward us. Let the light shine.
