Five-minute read.
The night will shine like the day, For darkness is as light to you.
Psalm 139:12b
Bright night.
Writing the morning after Christmas, the sparkle of holiday lights illuminates the sky. Blow-up Santas, Snowmen, and Reindeer adorn yards. Nativity scenes of all sorts glow under spotlights. Nighttime brings an expectant joy as houses come to life with bright bulbs and strobe lights set to joyful music. And, of course, the most brilliant light of all comes from the lighted Christmas stars that signify the birth of Jesus.
The Light of the World entered it in a manger. With no place to lay her head, Mary took refuge in a stable and gave birth to her baby boy. The Star of Bethlehem shone brightly above the tiny family, leading the wise men to the Savior’s side, offering gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
“The other — more astronomical — explanation is that there was a bright object in the sky — a conjunction between planets and stars. A conjunction occurs when two or more celestial bodies appear to meet in the night sky from our location on Earth.”[i]
Space.com’s article, “What was the Star of Bethlehem,” scientifically explains the Christmas star. Something happened the night Jesus entered the Earth, celestial light ushering in His birth. Darkness becomes light when we place our faith in Jesus.
Accepting Christ into our lives and inviting Him to reside in our hearts means darkness becomes light. Jesus’s eternal flame burns from within us and illuminates the darkness around us, sharing His light with others.
Scrolling Facebook, I saw the perfect meme to describe how God’s light works. A multitude of people, all colorless, just an outline of their human form, stood together. Then, one receives the light of Christ, and his form lights up. Then, the meme shows him sharing his light with someone else, and they light up. And the process continues until, eventually, the entire crowd receives God’s light, no longer colorless but shining brightly for all to see.
We think our acts of obedience to the Lord go unnoticed. But God sees and knows everything, and He will multiply our efforts. One spark lights an eternal flame that never ends. When we share Christ’s light with others, we bring them out of the darkness and help them find the One who can transform their lives.
Light spreads quickly, traveling 186,000 miles per second. With a circumference of 24,901 miles, light circles the world over seven times in one second. One act of love shares Christ’s love with others and begins to illuminate the world in a split second. We may think opening the door for a stranger, helping a friend through a difficult time, or sitting quietly with a sick family member goes unnoticed, but our light shines in their darkness and helps their flame grow and flicker.
God gives us light in the darkness. Christ illuminates our souls and shines through us to the world around us. Darkness becomes light when we follow Jesus. And as we do, His light spreads. The more obedient we become, the faster Christ’s light spreads to the world around us, illuminating the darkness and bringing hope to the world.
Application:
Light of the world.
Darkness becomes light when Jesus enters the world. Everything matters to God. When we obey the Lord, we share His light with the world. Working in my shop at Christmas, I put everything on sale for 50% off. A customer coming by stopped and loaded up. “I’m so glad Christmas is almost over,” I said, referring to the amount of work that goes into running a shop.
“But you’re bringing joy to people, you really are. Don’t forget that,” she responded. Instantly, I felt encouraged and uplifted. My prayers answered with her statement. Wanting to bring joy to others and share Christ’s love, her words affirmed my actions. And just like that, God’s light spread in the world.
Share the light.
Journaling Questions:
- Who shared Christ’s light with you?
- How can you share your light with others?
- When did you last share your light, and how did it make you feel?
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for giving us Your light to illuminate the darkness. Forgive us for hiding it. Give us opportunities to share Christ with others and open our eyes and ears to the chances around us to bring His light to a dark world. As we do our best to honor and obey You, bless our efforts. Shine Your light brightly and eliminate the darkness. IJNIP. Amen
[i] https://www.space.com/54-earth-history-composition-and-atmosphere.html
