Look How Dark It Is!

This week we continue our preparation for Christmas, when, through the birth of Jesus Christ, God declares to us that it is good to be human and that he is on our side. As we journey through the season of Advent, we therefore say, Come, Lord Jesus. This week we ask God to show us what is most important in our lives and to help us get rid of the rest.

Read Psalm 85:1-13. When the clocks went back a few weeks ago, I saw a picture on social media that suggested for the next week or so, British people like me would go to the window at around 4pm and exclaim, “Look how dark it is”!

We may look at our world today and exclaim the same thing. Jesus was the Light that came into the world. He called us to be lights like a city on a hill. But despite all this, the world still seems very dark. World hunger remains. Nations invest far too much in weapons. Murder and violence happen on our streets too often. We seem to be killing the planet, unable to stop ourselves. Look how dark it is! The darkness never totally goes away.

Perhaps the best thing we can do is recognise the darkness and name it as such. When we do so, we can work in the Light and ensure the darkness does not overcome us. We must work and wait and hope in the darkness, knowing that God has given the world his unfailing love, truth and light.

THINK IT OVER

Think about the following:

•In what ways might you be denying the darkness in the world, instead of allowing it to transform you and move you towards the Light?