“Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt." So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was dense darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. People could not see one another, and for three days they could not move from where they were; but all the Israelites had light where they lived.“
(Exodus 10:21-23)
Where we are heading this first week….
We begin the Advent season of light with the recognition of the darkness that is present in our lives. At this time of year, darkness seems to be extended as the sun takes its shortest path through the sky. The hours of daylight are the fewest of the year.
As night falls quicker and lingers longer, we find ourselves in desperate need of light. There is a physical need for streetlights and headlights so that we can navigate our morning commutes. A variety of artificial fixtures provide the necessary illumination throughout the day as natural light is limited and unable to sustain our work and play.
In addition to our physical need for light, we need illumination in other areas of our life. There is a darkness in our spirits that cries out for attention. When night falls within, we can find ourselves confused, perplexed, uncertain, uneasy, and downright scared — fear flares and wrecks havoc with our judgment, leading us to embrace solutions that are unhealthy.
The darkness deepens as our insecurities connect with the fears of others. Division, separation, and loneliness go viral and can quickly infect families, communities, and nations. Violence becomes an all too common and destructive response to fear. We demand that it is within our rights to take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect and defend ourselves from the nightmares that live in the dark. Downward descends the spiral.
With Advent hope, we yearn for the light of Christ to enter the darkness of our lives and the world. We seek the pushing back of fear that immobilizes our actions and distorts the truth. We long for God's love to shine a path that we can follow through the darkness.
PRAYER:
Light a candle (or the first candle on your Advent wreath), take a deep breath, and pray….
O Come Perpetual Light and shine on those who live in darkness. Each day there are those who live in the shadows of the night. They suffer because of the sin and separation that are part of the human condition. We suffer too because of injustice, fear, greed, and our self-consumption that keeps us apart from our sisters and brothers who hide in the night of our collective sin. Shine your light in our hearts that we may see those who hide from our concern and compassion. As we begin to see through the eyes of love, let us shine love and mercy into the hurts and heartaches of all who struggle in darkness until we come together as your beloved children of light. Through the Resurrected Body of Christ, Amen.
Copyrighted 2019. Walt Lichtenberger. Permission granted to share with family and friends