Advent: The Light That Rises in the DarknessNäide

When the Darkness Seems Thicker

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” Isaiah 9:2 (NLT)

Advent starts not with the candles and decorative lights but with the darkness, because it is in the darkness that we see light the best.

Israel was expecting the Messiah in times of despair – under the yoke of empires, in broken hopes, in a world that seemed too cruel for a miracle still to happen. They had lost their land, their freedom, their peace, and, it seemed, even God. But it was to them, to that wounded nation, that the light of salvation came.

Doesn’t that sound like us? We, too, know very well what it is like to be waiting for the light in dark times. We see ruins, exhaustion, uncertainty, and yet, we hold onto the promise that the darkness will not last forever. God has not turned away from Israel – nor does He turn away from Ukraine. In the darkest night of our history, He puts into our hearts that quiet hope. The light rises again.

Darkness is not only what is around us but also what is inside, i.e., fear, weariness, despair, and pain of loss. But God’s light doesn’t avoid darkness – it enters it. Christ comes precisely where we least expect Him – into our broken stories, into our anxiety, into our doubts. He comes to heal, to wipe our tears away, to restore hope and purpose, to fill our lives with a new sense.

Advent reminds us that we are not to run away from the darkness, for it is there that God begins to create everything new. Like dawn, that no one can stop, His light comes down even when the sky is still dark.

Ask yourself:

• In what areas of my life does darkness seem thicker than my hope?
• Do I let Jesus enter there with His light?

Prayer:

Lord, when I’m lost in the darkness, teach me not to run away but to wait for You. Let me see Your light even in the darkest hour. Let Your presence illuminate my fears and bring peace. Amen.