As Christmas draws near, it seems that all around us we see the hustle and bustle, the cheery songs, the whole energetic ‘holiday spirit’ that is often associated with the season. And yet for many, this time is one of great sorrow, of loneliness, of missing of loved ones, of darkness. With everything going on around, we may feel our sorrow and darkness are out of place. We may try to cover our true situation with a fake smile, to say that we are “Okay” when all that means is, “I don’t want to burden you, to take your joy, to infringe on your celebration;” or even, “I just don’t want to fall apart right now, and okay will be enough to hold me together and not completely lie.” This is supposed to be a celebration, right? A time of joy and peace and light? There isn’t a place for grief and darkness – or is there?
I invite you to walk with me through the account of the happenings leading up to Christ’s birth as given in the book of Luke. Jesus was sent as a great light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and the whole situation into which He was born cries out the truth of that prophecy.
Luke begins by introducing us to an older gentleman by the name of Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth. For years they prayed for a child. For years they waited to see if God would hear and answer. And now here they are, an older couple and still childless. Then one day as Zacharias is performing his tasks in the temple, and angle comes to him and says, “Your prayer has been heard.” Shocked and incredulous, Zacharias questions the veracity of this statement and is told that as a sign that this is indeed true, he will be unable to speak until the birth of his son. As Zacharias waits for the arrival of this promised child, we can only imagine that he must have had plenty of time to dwell on the words of the angel. “He shall be great in the sight of the Lord . . . he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit . . . and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.” It had been hundreds of years since God had sent a prophet to His people. They had done their own thing, run their own way, and had found themselves in darkness. Furthermore, the ‘people of God’ had been conquered by the Romans and now chafed beneath their rule. It was a time that was truly dark and dismal. It is into this climate that John, the forerunner – the one who would prepare the way for Jesus, was born. Read with me the first words Zacharias spoke when his son was born, and his speech restored. “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; For he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up and horn of salvation for us . . . as He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets . . . That we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all he days of our life. And thou, child . . . shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high (Jesus) hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Next, we read of an angel appearing to a young lady, a virgin. To her, the angel announces that she will have a child while still a virgin. In those days and in that culture to have a child outside of wedlock was a huge dishonor and could be punished by death. And yet in spite of all the misgiving she may have had, Mary says, “Be it unto me according to thy word.” The man to whom she is promised is also visited by an angel, which assures Joseph that Mary is indeed telling the truth. And so Joseph marries her. There must have been gossip spread, whispers behind her back and mocking to her face. The account she shared as to her pregnancy would have sounded far-fetched and so unbelievable. And yet we find her declaring, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. . . For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.” And then, in the final weeks of her pregnancy, the Roman government decides to assert their authority by declaring a tax and a census requiring all to return to the home of their ancestors. So Joseph and Mary travel for miles, up into the mountains and then back down, covering such rough terrain, to arrive in Bethlehem. We are familiar with the account of ‘no room in the inn’ and the manger for a crib. For sure there must have been joy at His birth, and yet there must have been disappointment and heartache to have been unable to provide better, that things would have worked out better, that it hadn’t happened that way. In the night, in a lowly and less than lovely place, the Light of the world was born
Not far away, there were shepherds, out in the night, minding their own business: that of tending sheep. Undesirable to many because of the effects of their living situation and lowly employ, they certainly had their share of darkness and disappointments. And yet on this eventful night, the angel proclaims to them the wonderful announcement. “I bring you tidings of great joy for all people, for unto you is born this day a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Then there rang across the land the praises of angels, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will to men.” The silence from God is broken to say that there is peace, and good will from God to all people on the earth. And so, the people sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, upon them the Light has shined.
How does that apply to you and me so many years later? Dear one, if you sit in darkness, this is a message for you: the darkness does not hide you from God. Jesus is the Light today, just as He was two thousand years ago at His birth. Christmas is the time that we remember that God came down to dwell with us, to feel our sorrows and struggles, to live perfectly and pay the death penalty for our sins, that we might have peace with God. He came that we might be reunited with God after our rebellion that we might know the comfort and peace that He can bring. He came that in our darkness and grief we might see the greatness of His Light and comfort. He came that the people sitting in darkness might see a great light. Yes, we may find ourselves in sorrow and darkness this season, but the whole purpose of Christmas is to draw our hearts closer to the One who came to the broken, sinful people that we might experience the peace and good-will that God extends to us. In our moments of darkness, let us seek Him with all our hearts, that our darkness may become light.
Hope in truth 