Bob Tamasy
Among the many nicknames for Christmas is “the season of light.” And rightfully so. Everywhere we look there are lights: Festive lights prominently displayed in malls and retail stores. City streets and roadways adorned with colorful lights and holiday images. Neighborhoods gaily illuminated in red, green, white and other colors.
The Christmas tree in our home offers lighting options – all-white, all-colored lights, and if we can’t make up our mind, the lights alternate between all-white and all-colored.
Christmas lights have a rich tradition. Since the holiday is celebrated in December, bright lights provide a stark contrast to the cold days and dark nights we typically experience in the Northern Hemisphere. Before the advent of electricity, candles dispelled the oppressive darkness. Even today, many people employ candles to celebrate the season, whether with actual flames or those designed to replicate flickering flames but without the risk of fire.
The greatest light of all, of course, is the One for whom Christmas is celebrated. As John 8:12, tells us “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’.”
This is a declaration far more profound than artificial decorations that we drag out of storage, display for several weeks and then pack away again. In fact, literally from the very start, light is a recurring theme in the Bible.
Opening the creation account, according to Genesis 1:3-4. “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.”
In one of my devotional readings recently, the writer observed, “The Bible promises there is no darkness in God at all. That means there is no deceit, no underhandedness, no selfishness, and no manipulation. God never deceives, never misleads and never manipulates.” What a vast difference from the world in which we live, work and play.
Our world is hopelessly broken. If you haven’t already realized that, you can easily recognize it in ways you probably wished you didn’t. Suicides, depression, families torn apart, addictions – all are symptoms of the increasing darkness that’s surrounding us, threatening our very souls. For this reason, isn’t it good news – wonderful news – that God’s desire is to cast aside the darkness, inviting us into His incomparable light?
In 1 John 1:5-7 we find this promise: “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you. God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”
On TV and in the movies, often mysteries and crime dramas unfold at night, when it’s dark and heinous acts can be carried out unseen. When the opening scene is dark, it’s a good bet that some bad stuff is about to happen. Unfortunately, in the real world the darkness caused by sin doesn’t happen only after sundown. All we have to do is watch the evening news for proof.
However, because of the birth of Jesus Christ, His life, teachings, death and resurrection, we can know that darkness and sin are not the victors. The apostle John, opening his narrative about Jesus, make this statement: “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it” (John 1:4-5).
Have you noticed that light and darkness can’t coexist? When you enter a darkened room and turn on a light, darkness scatters. In a far more profound way, when Christ crashes into our lives, the darkness in our own hearts is dispelled, replaced by His incomparable light – a light that doesn’t fade over time.
Years ago, I came across this incredible assurance, one that continues to astound me to this day: “…I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining” (1 John 2:8).
This “new commandment,” as I’ve come to understand it, is that relying solely on our own devices, we might desire to do right and overcome our struggles with sin but fail repeatedly. Only through the indwelling power of Jesus Christ, by His Spirit, can we escape the overwhelming darkness and stand tall in His wonderful light.
Much more could be said about this. Suffice it to say, as we enjoy the glorious lights of this “season of light,” whether streaming from streetlights, draped in malls and retail stores, or gleaming from our own Christmas trees, we should remember what they symbolize: Jesus Christ, the light of the world.
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Robert J. Tamasy is a veteran journalist, former newspaper editor and magazine editor. Bob has written, co-authored and edited more than 15 books. These include the newly published, ”Marketplace Ambassadors”; “Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace”; “Tufting Legacies,” “The Heart of Mentoring,” and “Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart.” A weekly business meditation he edits, “Monday Manna,” is translated into more than 20 languages and sent via email around the world by CBMC International. The address for his blog is www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com. His email address is btamasy@comcast.net.