| Bethlehem Darkness – Sharon Dow
Bethlehem was dark. The streets were silent after the traffic of the day. The last of the visitors to the Inn had either stumbled to bed, or staggered off to their homes where they were forced to sleep among relatives and strangers.
Camels and oxen shifted nervously in their stalls as night clung to them.
Into this darkness, God sent his son. Luke 2: 8 “there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them . . .” NIV
In John 8:12 Jesus says “I am the light of the world.”
The contrast between light and darkness is startling I am not comfortable in total darkness. On camping trips, I am uneasy if I cannot distinguish anything in the tent. The darkness is immense. How can such encompassing darkness be pushed back?
And then comes the surprise. A tiny spark of light pushes back the darkness! A small candle with a little flame, a miniature flashlight, can make a difference in the darkness.
Light trumps darkness; every time. It does not work in reverse. If I am in a bright room and I open a small box which is filled with darkness, the light immediately dispels the darkness. No matter how hard I try, I will not be able to see that darkness. Light is the winner; always.
Our world is dark with sin. Jesus is the light of the world. It seems appropriate that God announced the birth of Jesus on a dark hillside. The contrast was stunning.
When we allow Jesus to come into the darkness of our hearts; he immediately changes the darkness into light. How awesome and amazing is JESUS.
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