Did you wake up this morning to a dark sky?  When you opened your eyes, did darkness greet you and you thought it was still nighttime?

If you live in the northern hemisphere, north of the 49th parallel, then you are approaching the winter solstice.  Depending on your location, you may be entering a time when there are more hours of night than daylight.  This can be a season of hopelessness and depression.

Do you turn on the TV news broadcast or read news headlines on your phone?  Does it feel like an assault of gloom and doom?

Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the negative news and simply choose not to see or read about the homicides, the wars, the corruption and confusion in our world.  This may be denial on my part, but a person can only handle so much negativity before it swallows us up!

There is a scripture in Isaiah, chapter 9, that describes this condition.  "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined."  Isaiah 9:2  The people Isaiah is referring to is his own people, the nation of Israel.  But I would like to say that the whole world is experiencing darkness, deep darkness morally, relationally, politically, economically, spiritually...there is no group of people who is doing everything right!  More and more, the nations of the world are embracing selfish, greedy and evil lifestyles, rejecting the standards of right living and goodness that God has established.

The darkness can be subtle.  It is a gradual removal of light and hope and righteousness.  Immorality and evil creeps in slowly and even folks with decent lives can be unconsciously influenced by the downward spiral around them!

What is the answer?

The light that Isaiah refers to in the scripture verse is not a thing, not a scientific or physical beam of cosmic brightness.  This light is the Messiah, a promised leader who will bring truth and hope to this people.  Not just to the people of Israel but to the whole world!

Jesus is that light.  In John 8:12, Jesus Himself declares who He is.  Again Jesus spoke to them saying,  'I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"  The awesome truth is that Jesus Christ already came to the earth and He has left His light here to shine.  But you may ask where is that light?  It seems pretty dim, not very impressive.

Jesus came and left His Church, His followers to continue to shine that light for the world to see.  He left His Word, the Bible, to provide truth and understanding, to give guidance on how to walk in this world that insists on staying in the dark!  

Will you set your eyes on Jesus, the light of the world?  He is offering His light to your darkness.