The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.

Isaiah 9:2

This evening Patrina and I attended a Christmas service at an area church with some friends where the lead pastor used the passage above as part of his message to the audience. We have all been in darkness, but some of us have seen and embraced the great light of Christ.

As we approach the Christmas season, we think of songs like “O Holy Night” and “Silent Night” and of course, we think of the Christmas star that announced His coming to the Shepherds and later to the Wise Men who honored the Christ child.

Earlier today I spoke with a friend about mine and the topic of the darkness of our days came up. Indeed it does seem that there is plenty of darkness around. People without the Savior are people without light and hope.

Think about what it must have felt like around the time of the birth of Christ. Some four hundred years lapsed between the words of the Old Testament’s last prophet, Malachi, but then those people who were walking in darkness for all of their lives, saw the “great light” and that Light made all the difference in the world.

We all know people who appear to be engulfed by darkness, but even in these days, we believe that the light of Christ can pierce even the deep darkness and rescue all those who stumble and are lost.

This Christmas season, our Hope is in Christ, the Light of the World.