Thought for the week: Time to bring light to society - in God's name
The Christmas season is very much a season of light. In our shops and supermarkets the trees are up and lights are being switched on in our cities, towns and villages.
Many buildings will be specially lit up and, of course, in many of our homes the Christmas tree will be covered in lights as across our community we seek to remember the birth of Jesus
Yet there is intense darkness all around too. The darkness of war is all too real in the region where Christ was born, and the darkness of distress is all too real in the lives of families and individuals. The darkness of need is all too real in homes where food is short, heat is limited and debts are rising. And for many people the dark night of the soul is an all too real experience as it brings deep sadness and sorrow.
The Bible constantly tells us that God is in the business of bringing light - for in Him there is no darkness at all (St John 1, 1.5) In its opening verses we are told that God said "Let the be light, and there was light". (Genesis 1.3) The very last chapters of the Bible speak of the glorious light of heaven itself filled with the glory of God. (Revelation 21.23) And of course, Jesus described himself as the light of the world (John 8.12)
However, this emphasis on light brings very considerable responsibilities and opportunities to every Christian who seeks to follow the light-giving message of Jesus. We are explicitly told to "Live as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth." (Ephesians 5.8-9)
St Paul is saying that our actions, conduct, speech and indeed relationships with others are to be of the very highest quality, and all carried through in the Lord’s name and for his honour.
I find this call to be profoundly motivating, yet a profound struggle at the same time, for as Psalm 51 puts it: "My sin is ever before me". And that is precisely why I need to call on the Lord to help me live in His light not just at Christmas but all the year round. But in these coming weeks, I will be asking the Lord to show me where and how to dispel some darkness in people’s lives; how He would want me to be a channel of light and hope; how to be a blessing to some for whom life really is a daily struggle - and perhaps crucially, to help me keep on doing that into 2025, and not just stop when the Christmas lights have been switched off and the trees taken down.
May I urge you too to think carefully how you might be a light-bringer in God’s name to some people over the coming weeks and indeed over the longer term?
That really would make for a happy Christmas all round!