The light of Jesus shows up best in dark places. It was into the darkness that Christ came as a baby. His light shone so brightly it brought shepherds in from their fields. Seekers from far off lands traveled two years to reach the light given off by Christ at His birth. Countless prison ministries find men and women encountering Jesus in the darkest depths of their lives.
Persecuted Christians encounter Jesus in ways few of us can imagine in some of the darkest places on earth. When we are at our lowest, at our worst, the light of Jesus shines best. It calls us to Him. It promises something better, something cleaner, something more. In what areas of your life do you most need the light of Jesus today?
I don’t know when you’ll come across this post, but it will first publish on a Christmas Day. It’s the day we celebrate the coming of the light of Jesus into our sin-stained, ugly, and darkened world. At the birth of Christ, there was little hope. God had been silent for a very long time and His people had nowhere else to turn. They were oppressed, occupied, and overburdened with the laws and regulations of the Roman empire. Israel had lost their identity and purpose. Into such despair, God sent His Son into their midst, a light into a world of shadows.
Many did not recognize the light because it had been so long since they’d seen it and they missed it altogether. Others rejected the light. They had grown accustomed to hiding in the darkness and did not welcome the change and the ramifications it brought with it. Others, however, embraced the light. They saw it as their salvation, a desperately needed and long-awaited lifeline. They understood the message of Jesus and devoted their lives to following Him no matter the cost.
The world is not much different today. Many still do not recognize the light because Satan has blinded their eyes with the spoils of this world. They think what they have is good enough, or at least all there is. Too many still reject the light of Jesus. They understand it on an intellectual level but dismiss it as absurd or illogical. Like their ancestors, they understand the implications of accepting the light. It would mean their life must change and they are not willing to pay such a price. Thankfully, there are still a few who not only recognize the light of Jesus but invite it into their lives. We are those who choose to worship the Holy Son of God who sacrificed Himself on our behalf.
Regardless of the season in which you read this, what are you doing with the light of Jesus? Are you so wrapped up in the comings and goings of your life you have failed to recognize it? Have you rejected it as a fanciful illusion, determining you don’t want to live in the world it would require you to live? While it’s not a popular thing to say today, there is only one right answer to this question. Embracing the light and love of Jesus, and then sharing it with everyone around you, is the only acceptable response. This life will end for every one of us. Two of the three responses will land you in an eternity forever banished from the light. Oh, but for those who embrace it, we will spend eternity wrapped in the light of Jesus. Don’t miss this. Don’t let your friends miss it. We have the truth and it must be shared. It’s why He came and it’s why we live.