Listen to my prayer, O God.
Do not ignore my cry for help!
Psalm 55:1, NLT

Darkness covered the world. The earth lay in shadow.
What once was paradise, was cursed.
The circumstances were dire. Darkness filled the hearts of men.
Mankind was insolent, arrogant and boastful, faithless, heartless and ruthless, filled with selfish ambition, greed, hate, envy, and jealousy, causing dissension, division, feuds, fights, quarrels, wars, murder.

A staggering list.
Depressing.
All seemed lost.
Without hope.

But.

Not without hope.
For where there’s life, there’s hope.
And light.
We know darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.

Indeed.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. They lived in a land of shadows, but now light is shining on them.
We are told, arise, shine, for the light has come.

Because God did not ignore our cry for help.

And He sent the light.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out. This was the real light—the light that comes into the world and shines on all people.

During this season of Advent, we celebrate the coming of the light.
Because God did not ignore our cry for help.

For a child is born to us! A son is given to us!
And he will be our ruler. He will be called,
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

During this season of Advent, we celebrate God’s plan unfolding.
We celebrate Jesus.

“I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”

but now light is shining on them

And counter to the darkness, His light, His Spirit, produces produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control in our hearts.

Because God did not ignore our cry for help.
He gave us hope.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus, the Light of the world who drives out the darkness that consumed us. We celebrate that the light of the Bright Morning Star shines in our hearts.

(References: Romans 1:29-31, Galatians 5:20-21, JRR Tolkien, Martin Luther King, Jr., Isaiah 9:1, Isaiah 60:1, John 1:5&9, John 8:12, Revelation 22:16, Galatians 5:22)

Grace & Peace