In Darkness, the Light of Hope

Have you ever been lost in the dark? Maybe it was sleeping at someone else’s house while on vacation, and they didn’t leave a light on for you to find your way to the kitchen for your 2 a.m. drink of water. You grope your way through the darkness, hoping you don’t knock over an antique vase or step on a squeaky toy. Finally you glimpse a faint light coming from the clock on the oven. You’ve made it! But once you’ve had your water, it’s back to the guest room…in the dark…

Sometimes we’ll even wake up in our own bed at home, so disoriented that we don’t know where we are, and end up stumbling our way through the dark into the closet that we thought was the bathroom!

We can also be lost in spiritual darkness, wandering through life not knowing where we are or where we’re going. We wonder what our purpose is, or even if we have one. Without a true purpose, we’re lost in the dark, and that darkness is hopelessly deep.

But we don’t have to stay there, my friend! There is HOPE in the person of Jesus Christ.

John tells us that in the beginning, “God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created…” (John 1:3-4 NLT)

Do you have life? Are you living and breathing? That life is a gift from the Word, Jesus Christ!

John continues, “…and his life brought light to everyone.” (verse 4)

Your life was a gift to you, and Christ’s life was a gift to the world.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

We are so greatly loved that the Creator of the Universe sent Jesus as a helpless baby with the mission to grow up and die in our place, paying the penalty for all of the ways we fall short of perfection. Jesus came to die that we might have life.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12)

There is a way out of the darkness, and there is hope to banish the despair!

If you’re feeling lost and alone, you can grab hold of the promise found in John 1:12-13: “To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn–not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” You can become part of a worldwide family, with countless new brothers and sisters! But the best part of being in this family is being able to call the God of heaven and earth your Father.

This new life and hope are gifts. We can’t earn them, we can only accept them!

When we choose to follow Christ, He becomes our guiding light. His light leads us to a life full of hope, joy, and peace here on earth, and never-ending life with him in heaven when our time on earth is done.

With Jesus lighting the way, we are able to see the true source of the many good things we receive in this life.  “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.” (James 1:17)

Christmas is coming, and with it decorations of lights everywhere! When you see those Christmas lights, remember the true Light of Hope that came into the world to bring us life. And with that thought comes another–He’s coming again! Are you ready?

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