Monday, December 20, 2010

Daylight



Image from: http://visualparadox.com/images/no-linking-allowed-main/colddawn.jpg

There is something to behold in watching the sun as it bursts forth from the horizon on a frigid, winter morning. The Midwestern landscape that I grew up on is generally blanketed with snow and is quickly transformed into a sea of crystals, reflecting the sun’s rays in all directions. Even though the air is brisk and causing shivers the moment you step out the door, when the sun rises it is as though you can relax and allow the beams to cut through the frozen air and warm you.

You maybe living in a cold, wintry darkness right now: unsure of what this life is for and what it’s all about. You have had some unforeseen events happen in your life leaving you empty and aching for a sense of restoration or wholeness. You may just be lost, unsure of who you are and how you ended up at this point in life. Sometimes the realization of this can cause immense sorrow causing you to panic. Darkness is often associated with sin like in Psalm143:3 where David says this:

“The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead.”

Whether you actually sinned or you were acted upon by someone else’s sin, it leaves you in the darkness feeling as though you are dwelling with the dead. Darkness covers sin easily and then creates a suffocating atmosphere that continually reminds you of the act of sin committed. But when the sun brings its first rays of light into the darkness, it is as though it the light moves darkness out of the way until only light surrounds you.

The Darkness Turns to Light


19 When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness. Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
Isaiah 8:19-9:2

Isaiah 60
The Glory of Zion
1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

As scripture passages continue to describe God’s light and his glory revealed through light, it as though it crescendos to a moment in time that we are celebrating now:

John 1
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Those of you who are overwhelmed with darkness: do you see verse 5? Do you see what it says: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” There is hope! The hope comes from Jesus Christ, God’s SON that came into this world as a means to pierce the darkness by BEING pierced. No matter how long or how dark you may feel, when light comes, it completely removes darkness. In the same way, Christ came to take away the sins of the entire world. He knew you were trapped in darkness, chained to darkness and so God brought forth his Son to deliver you. He desires for you to dwell in the light with him by accepting his offering of grace through an abiding relationship with Him. Leave your relationship with darkness and allow a new one to be formed with the SON.


One final thought, I was driving to church this past Sunday listening to one of my favorite bands, Remedy Drive. I love Christmas music, but I needed a break so I popped in the CD “Daylight,” by Remedy Drive and discovered that, although it may not have jingle bells in the background it can most definitely associate itself with the coming of the Christ. In fact, I think the shepherds could have been jamming out to it in anticipation to see Jesus. It doesn’t have to stop at Christmas though: do you realize that we are now back into a position of waiting for the Messiah to return? Christ came to save the world and He is coming again to take those of us who are his for eternity. I encourage you to put yourself in the place of people who are anticipating the coming of the Christ child only now, when he comes again, he won’t be found in a quiet manager; instead, Jesus Christ will return in all His glory.
Eden Restored
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Revelation 22:1-5

I wanted to include the video of the song by Remedy Drive and the lyrics. A quick plug for the band, their music is generally centered on this topic of the second coming of Christ which is rare in today’s music realm. I really appreciate the message they give during their concerts and hope that if they tour near you, go and be encouraged by the message of the second coming of the SON.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsAf2isFAwg&feature=related

Has everything you've counted on
Left you right here with no warning
Have your dreams become invisible
Wait with me dear till the morning
Light will make the night burnout

Hold on - daylight is coming
Daylight is coming to break the dawn
Daylight is coming

The brightest stars are falling down
Is hope lost in the black skies
The darkness must precede the dawn
Hold on till the sunrise
Light will make your night fade out

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the reminder and the video/pics for a reminder of His first advent in anticipation of His second. :-)
    Merry Christmas, Joni!

    ReplyDelete