Let those that have ears, hear

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness--on them light has shined. 
Isaiah 9:2 

When I heard these words in church recently, I was struck by how fitting they are for the age and world we live in today and how all generations before us have probably felt the sting of truth in them too.

The reality of the human condition is that we are broken.

We have the freedom of choice – and we misuse that freedom and screw up more times than not. Maybe not in the colossal, news grabbing manner of mowing down innocent children with military weapons but by simply and consistently choosing to live in ways that support violence, estrangement and oppression… through our actions and even, sometimes, through our silence.

My spirit has been strengthened by the voices of modern day ‘prophets’ this week - those crying in the wilderness that the madness gripping our country has to stop.

The words in scripture were targeted long ago to people living in anxiety, fear, and despair; people feeling bereft of security, safety, and any sense of God's presence.
Their trajectory, however, landed squarely in our midst.

This year, more than ever before, Christmas can be a reminder to us all -   that despite the world telling us there’s ‘no room’  - for hope, for healing, for peace - ‘goodness’ gets re-born in a dank, dark manager - among animals.

‘Light’ has been given to the world by a loving God and no matter how tightly we shut our doors, or our hearts, it doesn’t prevent it from existing.

The darkness will never put it out.

I need to believe that.
I need to remember that.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.