Men of the LightNäide

Light has Come

When I was a kid, I grew up going to Boy Scouts. Once, when I was around 12 years old, we went winter camping out in the woods.

(And yes, that is much less enjoyable than summer camping!)

One cold night, we were out on an excursion, and I somehow got separated from the group and lost in the dark. I got turned around and wasn’t sure how to find my way back again.

It wasn’t for long; I heard my name being called, and I began calling back and moving towards the sound.

And I still remember the feeling of seeing what cut through the blackness, moving towards me:

Light.

Numerous flashlight beams breaking through the night, bringing hope and a huge amount of relief.

I was found.

Every Christmas, we celebrate Jesus' coming into the world as that baby born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. And unlike Luke’s literal narrative telling of the story, John’s Gospel takes a more poetic approach, talking about what spiritually and symbolically was happening in the birth of Christ:

“The true light that brings light to everyone was coming into the world…” (John 1:9).*

In a dark world, lost in hopelessness, sin, despair, and death, all were waiting for something or someone to break through that darkness.

As the Christ child was born in Bethlehem, the answer to generations of prayer was realized in a moment.

Jesus the Messiah, who would boldly proclaim, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), finally arrived to the weary world that awaited Him.

When Christ appeared on earth at Christmas, light came with Him. To this dark and dreary world, that light came to reveal, expose, proclaim, and illuminate all that God wanted us to see.

This week, we will explore this Christmas light, all that it does, and how we are to walk through this world as men of that light with Christ in us to shine out into the darkness.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we welcome the Light that has come into this world! Help us to see You clearly and reflect on Your coming as we walk through Christmas with You. Amen.

Reflection: When you think of Jesus as “light” coming into the world, what comes to mind? In what ways is He “light”?

* Unless otherwise stated, all Scriptures referenced in this devotional will be the New International Version (NIV).