“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:5

Christmas comes to us here in Tennessee in the wintertime. While winter is not officially here, we are getting a foretaste of what is yet to come. Winter is a cold time. The land is barren, frozen, frigid, the days are filled with darkness, and the world seems to be silent. Did you know that it’s actually quieter in the winter? It’s not just your perception. When snow falls, it absorbs sound leaving things much quieter than any other time of year. Maybe this is just a description of a season of the weather. Or maybe it describes your life, emotions, and attitude lately.

Over the next four weeks we will be celebrating the advent season. This is a season that celebrates the advent, or coming, of Jesus Christ into the world. Christ did not come into a world filled with sunshine and rainbows. He came to a world of suffering, pain, and despair. He came as a light into this dark world and brought us the precious gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love.

To a nation of slaves with no future, he brought hope. To a society filled with war and fighting, he brought peace. To a people in misery and morning, he brought joy. To those who have grown indifferent, he brought love. All of these are phrased as past tense representations. But there is a present reality. Christ did not just bring these gifts to people long ago, he is here today, standing in the midst of a hurting and broken world, offering these wonderful gifts to you and I. Jesus wasn’t just the light of the world. He is the light of the world. And as John said above, the light shines, and it is currently shining. And for 2000 years, the darkness has yet to overcome it. During this season, let us remember that he is not just the light of the world, but he is the light coming into our dark world as well.