Living in the Light

The last couple of days I have been reminded in a number of ways that the light of hope is all around me.

I thought that I would be spending this Advent season pregnant and learning about new life and hope through my pregnancy. I expected to find myself identifying with Mary, commiserating with her as she walked the miles to Bethlehem, feeling along with her all the aches and pains of pregnancy.

Instead, I find myself identifying with the Israelites in their waiting. Generation after generation, prophet after prophet, they waited for the promised Messiah. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Hosea, all over the Hebrew Scriptures, the promise is everywhere.

So many of these prophecies talk about darkness and light. Isaiah 9:2 says,

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined. 

The first verses of Isaiah 60, also speak of darkness,

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.

It seems that only by walking in darkness can we fully appreciate the Light. Sometimes we enter the darkness by choice. Other times we are thrust into darkness unprepared and unwillingly. My darkness is not by choice, but I can choose my attitude toward the darkness. I can allow the darkness to overwhelm me or I can allow the darkness to become my friend and my teacher. I can learn to know the darkness and allow it to make the Light brighter in me.

This Advent I choose to let the Light grow in my darkness. The author of Lamentations will be my guide. Lamentations 3 says,

I am one who has seen affliction
under the rod of God’s wrath;
he has driven and brought me
into darkness without any light;
against me alone he turns his hand,
again and again, all day long... 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘therefore I will hope in him...’ 

For the Lord will not reject for ever.
Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.

May you know the Light this Advent, may you let that Light shine for those walking in darkness, and may we all be blessed by the Light in new and unexpected ways.