The Longest Night (part 2)

“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." 

(Isaiah 9:2)

 

Can you spot the conjunction?

I want to pick up where I left off yesterday. Darkness is real, and we would do well to acknowledge the heavy toll that darkness takes on the human soul.

 

But darkness, real and agonizing though it is, is not the reality that defines us. Darkness is not God’s ultimate intent for us. You don’t have to go any farther than the third verse in the Bible to know that darkness is not what God intends for us, for the very first words God speaks in all creation is “Let there be light.” So while we acknowledge the darkness that is common to all human experience, we also affirm that God breaks the darkness with the light of his glory and love.

 

“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.” (Isaiah 9:2) The words of the prophet Isaiah are affirmed and underscored by the apostle John when he speaks of Jesus in this way: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5) The Good News that we proclaim in the darkest season of the year – and in every season, for that matter – is that in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God answers the darkness with light. 

 

Light, which dispels the darkness. 

Light, which guides us through the darkness. 

 

And darkness did not, has not, cannot, nor ever will conquer the light. Not ever.

Yesterday was the winter solstice, the longest night. Last night was also the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the convergence of Saturn and Jupiter. So, of course I had to go and take pictures. As the sun set, the two planets began to appear side by side on the southwest horizon. And as the night became darker, the two planets appeared even brighter.

 

In the darkness, light was shining.

 

An interesting tidbit that I learned from this weather guy I follow on Facebook: Jupiter is 550 MILLION miles from earth, and Saturn is one BILLION miles from earth. Think about that for a second. The light we see from Jupiter and Saturn travels through hundreds of millions of miles of darkness to get to us.

 

The light shines, and the darkness did not, has not, cannot, nor ever will conquer the light. Not ever.

 

Light is the answer to darkness. Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the world – and the Light of the world – is God’s answer to our sorrow, our suffering, our broken hearts, our misery, our pain.

 

Not even the longest night can keep the light from coming to us.

It never has, and it never will.

The Longest Night (part 1)

“For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples…” (Isaiah 60:2a)

This morning was a cloudy, wet, gray, dreary morning. So I did what any normal person would do; I got up and said to myself, “It’s a perfect day for pictures.” (To be honest, gray days don’t usually make for the best photography; however, when you want a moody photo, it’s hard to beat a foggy morning) I went to the cemetery down the street from the manse, and snapped a few shots. 

 

Happy Monday, right?

 

Actually, I thought the gray moodiness of the morning was appropriate for today, the winter solstice – our longest night of the year. And for many people, 2020 has been a series of “longest nights”: a worldwide pandemic that hits us in waves; extended isolation from family and friends; national turmoil on the social, racial, and political fronts; economic uncertainty… I’m sure you can add your own reasons why this year seems to be one prolonged “longest night.”

 

As people of faith, it’s important to recognize the stark reality of the darkness in which we find ourselves. A quick reading of Scripture – especially the psalms – will reveal that it is perfectly normal for us to lament the darkness that enshrouds us. I say this because this time of year we need to remember that not everybody is merry and bright. For many, this will be the first Christmas without loved ones. For others, this will be the first Christmas since their family was fractured by divorce. For still others, this season adds salt to the wounds of their soul because, already struggling just to keep a roof over their heads, they cannot afford to buy gifts for their children. And for many, life itself is simply a struggle they face every day.

 

So, while a good number of us are finding ways to inject happiness into the strange and challenging year that 2020 has been, please be mindful that there are many others for whom the nights are always long. Find ways to reach out to them, and let them know they are not alone. Send them a note, call them, text them, take a small gift to them -- anything to let them know that someone is with them in the darkness.

 

Normally, I try to end on a high note. After all, that’s what we’re told to do, right – be upbeat, be optimistic? But today, I think I’m just going to be mindful of the darkness, because it is important that we not deny the reality of the darkness that enshrouds our world. Darkness isn’t all bad; if nothing else, darkness convinces us that we need a Savior, someone who can dispel the darkness with Light.

 

And on that note, I’m simply going to end by saying, “to be continued…”