The Light Shines…I Hope

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:5

Our Christmas tree is still up. Yes, I know we’re well into February by now.

I’d tell you we have taken down the rest of the decorations but, the truth is, we didn’t put up any other decorations this year save the birch bark reindeer we always leave up through the winter until, once spring comes, they retreat to a box in the basement and are replaced atop the cabinets in our living room by a multicolored flock of blown-glass birds. The rest of our Christmas decorations never left the basement this year. Except the tree, and we were late getting to it, finally putting it up a week before Christmas in its usual spot off to the side of the living room, standing sentry at the bottom of the staircase. It stands there still.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

A recent article from The Atlantic, which made its rounds on my Facebook feed a few weeks ago, made the case for keeping the tree up until March. That made me feel better about things, knowing I wasn’t alone. My wife asked me the other day when we should take it down. I said, “Not yet,” and she didn’t question it. Our dog has taken an interest in the decorative artificial berries on it as of late, which isn’t good, and I am sure we will take it down soon. But for now it stands there still. It stands because I need its light.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Genesis tells us the world began formless and dark when God spoke light into being. Isaiah speaks of a people walking in darkness who will see a great light; and in Luke 1, the priest Zechariah regains his voice and says:

By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:78-79

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

If you are in a dark place; if the story of your life is not playing out the way you thought and hoped it would; if death has taken a loved one, abuse torn apart a family, job loss threatened your financial viability, anxiety constricted your soul, disease wracked your body, global pandemic changed life as we’d known it…

If you are in a dark place, Scripture suggests you are well positioned to see the light; and in the darkness, you are not alone. God is there, too. God is with you in your darkness. This is good news! It is good news

I have needed a tangible reminder of in recent months while navigating my wife and both of her parents being hospitalized with Covid — all at the same time; her father’s subsequent death and her mom’s rehospitalization (twice) with complications from the medication for the Covid pneumonia; navigating grief; a dog who gave us a good scare when he gnawed on a live electric chord (he’s fine); and that is all, of course, without factoring in everything else going on in the world these days. I am weary. Everything seems hard. The world has seemed dark.

A few weeks ago, I heard Rev. Riana Shaw Robinson preach a fabulous sermon on Luke 2, when Mary and Joseph are looking for Jesus who has gone missing. Riana said there are some seasons like that, seasons when we need to look harder for Jesus.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Hallelujah! Even when the world seems dark, darkness does not have the final word. Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, has come: speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace. I have needed a tangible reminder of that in these days, so our Christmas tree is still up, filling our house with its lovely warm, amber glow as a beacon of hope and an everyday reminder that:

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.