A Great Light

When I think of this verse, I see two pictures in my mind: One is of the shepherds of Bethlehem sitting in a dark field with sheep grazing all around them. Suddenly light fills the sky and angels appear. The second picture is my thirteen year old self lying on the floor praying. At that time in my life, I felt I was living in darkness. I wasn’t even sure that God existed.

As Christmas comes and goes, these two mental images together give me hope. The first image represents a time of year that is emotionally and psychologically rich for me. It’s the time of year when family gathers together, food is abundant, and music, light and colors are everywhere. After Christmas, though, comes a time that seems dark and cold to me. Winter is still here but there is not as much to look forward to. That mental image of me living in darkness gives me hope. Because I did not stay in that darkness. The second I prayed a simple prayer that God would make himself real to me, he did. Light replaced the darkness.

As the new year starts, I can continue to find hope in knowing that the light that came to the Bethlehem shepherds is not confined to just one month of the year. It continues into the month of no holidays, the month of the mundane. The hope that sparked in the shepherd's hearts is my hope today. Because Jesus is eternal, the light we see at Christmas is forever in our hearts, getting us through the tough days.

Dear Father, thank you for Jesus and for the light that he brings. Thank you that hope doesn’t end when Christmas does, but it keeps going. Help us embrace that hope and share it with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Throughout this day: How can you carry the hope of Jesus with you throughout the year?

Here is another article on finding hope in dark times: https://thelife.com/in-a-spiritual-battle-try-praise