Ephesians 5:8 “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.  Live as children of light”

Each day is getting a little bit shorter.  The sun rises later in the morning and sets earlier in the evening. We are quickly coming upon the shortest day of the year.  The earth goes through cycles of light and darkness, so do we.  We all have seasons in our lives filled with light and seasons where we are stumbling in darkness.  During this season of Advent, we are called to prepare ourselves to receive the Christ child once again.  I have written about God’s light many times in the past.  Do I have anything new to say? The message is not new; it has been announced for thousands of years now. Tomorrow morning it is my turn to teach Sunday school to the young elementary kids and we are learning about John the Baptist.  John came to prepare the way for the Lord.  It was his task to announce the blessed gift of salvation that God, in His mercy, was sending.  Jesus came all those years ago “to give light to those who sit in darkness... to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:79) This is the light Paul is talking about here.  Take a moment with me this morning and picture the Christ child, lying in the manger with radiance beaming from his holy face.  As we come closer to the celebration of his birth, let us search our hearts for darkness that lurks and allow the Spirit to renew and refine us.  When we come to the holy night of Christmas, may we be a reflection of his radiant light throughout the world.

Lord,

Through your Holy Spirit, we have been given the gift of Light and Love.  Help us shine your light and announce it to the world around us until no one lives in darkness anymore.  Amen.