A Light Shining in Darkness
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
Darkness and light are scriptural metaphors that we human beings understand.
For those of us in latitudes far from the equator, Advent can be a dark and cold season, with only about eight or nine hours of daylight. Have you ever been inside a cave or other dark space and then turned off your flashlight? Can you remember the feeling when you experienced complete and utter darkness for the first time? For any of us carrying lament or loss this Advent season, a similar feeling of overwhelming darkness can seem palpable wherever we go.
On the other hand, light feels freeing and energizing. Long warm days under the bright summer sun are wonderful. Light illuminates our path, makes it possible to work outdoors, and wakes us up after a good night’s sleep.
In a similar way, Scripture uses the metaphor of light and darkness in several places to explain the gospel message. This starts right at the beginning: before the creation of the world, “the earth was formless and empty, [and] darkness was over the surface of the deep” (Gen. 1:2). Later, darkness is a description of times of struggle, persecution, and exile. For example, Isaiah prophesied about “the people walking in darkness . . .” (Isa. 9:2). And in Romans, Paul encourages his readers by saying, “The night is nearly over, the day is almost here” (Rom. 13:12).
Whereas Scripture uses darkness to depict struggle, light is used as a metaphor for God and his plan through Jesus. The first chapter of the Gospel of John is a prime example of this in its extensive appeals to light: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (v. 5); “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (v. 9). The Bible is clear that the light of Christ reveals the glory of the Father: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son . . .” (v. 14).
Today darkness can seem like the default position in our hurting and broken world. We long for light. The good news of Advent is that in Christ Jesus, we have an abundance of it.
As believers, we know that the light of Christ has made a home in our hearts and shines through us. Jesus said, “A town on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl” (Matt. 5:14). Encouraging words, acts of kindness, and even simple smiles can brighten someone’s darkness with God’s light.
Advent is also a season in which our secular world seems a little more open and inquisitive about the “light we have in us.” I encourage you all to take advantage of that this season. With whom can you share hope during this Advent season? Perhaps God’s light will shine through you in the heavy darkness of a suffering family member or neighbor.
We are not so naive to forget that the darkness in our world abhors the light of Christ in us, but we do acknowledge and believe that God has appointed a day when darkness will be no more. On that day God’s people “will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 22:5).
May God give you his rich grace this Advent, and may his light shine richly through you and your congregations.
Rev. Zachary King
General Secretary
Christian Reformed Church in North America
