Monday, December 7: Psalm 27:1
Formalized Christmas light competitions are a recent Christmas season development. Cities, towns and media programming sponsor competitions to see who can have the most creative Christmas light configurations at their homes. Bigger and more dramatic win!
Humans gravitate toward lights! It’s a natural part of our human experience. Regardless of geographic location or time period, humans share the common experience of nighttime and daytime. Nighttime and darkness represent the unknown, uncertainty, and fear while daytime and light represent vision, clarity, certainty and hope.
These meanings have been present in our souls since the beginning when God said, “’Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:3-4 NIV).
The Psalmist in today’s verse praises God for his goodness and truth when he says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1 NIV). The reminder is light is stronger and dispels fear and darkness.
God’s light comes full circle in John 8:12 when Jesus says, “‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (NIV).
As we enter this Advent season of 2020, a year filled with more than its share of fears and uncertainties, let us not forget we serve a God who separates light from darkness, and who sent his Son to be our light and salvation. Life may seem hard and dark at times, but we celebrate every day that Jesus is the light of the world! Praise be to God!
Kaylene Barbe