in the midst of a dark & scary world

In the darkest of times, that is when the lights shine the brightest.

He promises us he is coming. Advent. 

Lord, we are waiting.

In a world breaking out in war and brutal attacks, all we can seem to see is darkness all around us. It enfolds us, suffocating our hope. Suffocating the light that is so easy to carry when all is well. But it is necessary to carry it in the darkest of times.

When the beauty in the world is hard to identify, to pick out among the wreckage, it can seem almost impossible to muster up the enthusiasm to celebrate the coming of another Christmas like we have done so many times before. It can seem forced when the world feels cold and dark and scary and it doesn't seem possible to see any source of hope, to find any source of light. It can be hard to get up in the mornings and be patient and trust.

Coming, he promises. 

And he is coming. So pull out the tinsel, untangle the strands of light, and prop yourself up against the strength of his branches this season. Sometimes the only way to stay standing is to latch yourself to someone stronger. He is our hope. And he invites us to lean against him, always. When you turn off your lights and admire the tree this season, remember that it is his light that shines brightly in the midst of the darkest of days.

This is no time to lose hope, this is the time to lean against him and to ask him for strength, for a reason to hope. He will help you stand up during your hardest days. He will support you, if you put all of your weight and worries on him.

Imagine how many people don't know the refuge they have in our Lord? Imagine those who have never heard his promises and who face this ugly world without the hope of knowing about his light? We are called to be his light. For the world. For those who are scared and have no tree, no strands of light in their households this season and always. So light up your tree, because he came the first time, and he will surely come again. Advent. We must be expecting him.

Behold, "the true light that gives light to every man is coming into the world!" (John 1:9) On the darkest days of the year, it is his light that brings hope to those who know of his promises. He is coming back to bring hope to the hopeless, and we have the greatest message of hope to share with the world in the midst of this darkness- that we know the true light! 

Coming. Does the world know that the true light is coming?