KERRY ANDERSON | GUEST

I’ve always loved that we celebrate Christmas during the darkest week of the year (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). I love that Christmas lights start going up just as the days are the shortest. In the dark mornings, I love coming downstairs, not to a dark and lifeless kitchen but to the warm light of the Christmas tree that turns on before I wake up (thank you, light timers!).

And I love that when we’re introduced to John, the forerunner to Jesus, in John 1, scripture tells us that John “came to bear witness about the light”…to tell us that “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:6-8,9). There are so many descriptors and names for Jesus throughout the Bible, but in these verses, we’re told that what is coming is light, the true light. What we’re waiting on in this dark month is the Light of the World. 

O Splendor of God’s glory bright,
from light eternal bringing light,
O Light of light, light’s living Spring,
true Day, all days illumining:

The ancient hymn (one of my favorites) O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright was originally written when some were refuting the deity of Christ. The likely author, St. Ambrose, reinforces that Jesus comes from the eternal light, and will be the true day, illuminating all days. 

Why do we need all our days illuminated? 

The fact that the light is coming inherently means we’re currently sitting in spiritual darkness. Without Christ, the Light, we’re unaware of what’s around us; we don’t see the dangers, the troubles, the temptations hiding there to overtake us. Even worse, in the darkness, we hide our sins from others and continue in them because we think no one can see. In the darkness, we lack the knowledge of safe and beautiful paths before us. In the darkness, we don’t even see our need for a savior. 

In sending us the Light, the Lord is gifting us with sight. No one likes the bright light thrown on first thing in the morning. It’s a bit assaulting sometimes, but it reveals the truth. We may not want to see our messy hair, wrinkled pajamas, and puffy eyes. However, we’re certainly thankful for it revealing the shoes on the floor we could trip on and the sharp corners we might run into. The spiritual light of Jesus reveals to us all we need for life and godliness, as the second verse of O Splendor of God’s Glory says, 

Come, very Sun of heaven’s love,
in lasting radiance from above,
and pour the Holy Spirit’s ray
on all we think or do today.

We need our days illuminated so we can know the comforting joy in John 8:12, “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” And so we can know the astounding hope of John 1:4-5: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” As Matthew Henry notes, this Light of life allows us to enjoy God in this world and then the Light allows us to follow Him to eternity, a place where there is no darkness ever!

So as the days get shorter and shorter for a few more weeks, as you run around doing errands and preparing for festivities, take this month to notice what the lights all around do for you. Reflect on what areas of your life need more light, more Christ, and be encouraged that John was there to tell us that when the Light came, we could now have “faith like noontide shining bright, our souls unshadowed by the night” (St. Ambrose).  

Photo by Zac Cain on Unsplash