A LIGHT IN THE DARK
Today is Winter Solstice, or what some say is the official start of the winter season. Science also tells us its the shortest and darkest day of the year. Metaphorically, winter symbolizes a death, a dying off, so that there is a rebirth in the Spring. We can see this in nature during the winter. Everything is very still, bare and cold. Many animals have settled down for a long winters nap, while other animals have flown off to find warmer temperatures. We as humans during the winter love to stay in, snuggle up and take this time to rest.
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Recently at a candlelight Christmas service, the pastor was talking about how during this time of year, the darkest time, is when we gather around the glow and warmth of our fireplaces. We excitedly every morning, turn on our Christmas trees to see the lights twinkle all day long. We drive around in our cars to find Christmas lights in front of homes, but not at dusk, but instead when it is truly dark. And we find that the glow from the fire and the twinkle of the lights, shines the best during the dark. It is stunning the darker it is.
Of course, the pastor connected this to the birth of Jesus. Despite when we say his actual true birth date was, we celebrate his birth during this season, the darkest time of the year. He serves as a light to us during this time. At the start of the Christmas season, I began to wonder about who Jesus was, but even more so, who his mom was. Who was Mary, before she became Mom? What did she have going on in her life? Where was she from?
After doing a little research, I found a verse that I have not been able to stop thinking about. In fact, I have read this verse before, but it never really struck me in this way before. In John 1:45-46, everyone was talking about Jesus and how he had come, and how Jesus and his family originally came from Nazareth. And I loved their response. Apparently at the time, Nazareth was not the best place in town. It was a dark place, and it was ruled by a dark and violent king at the time. But it was mentioned that this is where Jesus and his family were from, and verse 46 says:
"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46)
I am not sure why that verse has stuck so much. If we think about it, Jesus and his family came from an area, that was apparently not the best. It was shocking to them that this man who was bringing all of this light and good, came from such a dark and violent place. But his light shone in the least expected place.
To me this feels like today. Without being pessimistic, I look around at what has been happening within the last two years. Confusion, distrust of our world leaders, bad news after bad news, and sometimes I sit back and think, can any good come out of this darkness were in? Is there hope for our world that we are currently in? And then I remember those pastors words.
Light shines the brightest in the darkest of moments.
So during this dark winter season and a "winter" in your life, you may experience moments of "death" or a letting go of things that no longer serve you. I hope you can find a "light of good" who can make those dark moments beautiful.