Walking Towards the Light
Psalm 19:7-8 (NCV)
The teachings of the Lord are perfect; they give new strength.
The rules of the Lord can be trusted; they make plain people wise.
The orders of the Lord are right; they make people happy.
The commands of the Lord are pure; they light up the way.
We walked at sunset through a small, wooded area to the edge of a lake. Our family played in the water, skipped rocks, and took pictures of the sun going down over the water. Even as the sun was just about gone, as long as we faced the water, we still had enough light to see. Once we turned and started to walk back through the woods to the car, though, everything looked so much darker. One kid hopped on my back, we pulled out a flashlight, and we made our way through the trees back to the car.
Shining a light in front of us helps us find our way so much more effectively. With the light behind us, our own shadows get in the way and and can’t see what’s ahead. Walking toward the light allows us to see where we’re going and move forward confidently.
Scripture works like a flashlight for us. Meditating on scripture allows God’s flashlight to penetrate the darkness of our hearts and minds, shifting our focus to God’s love and provision. The scripture above encourages me. In it I see characteristics of God that show I can trust Him. In this scripture I see that God gives instruction to help me learn how to live. I see that God is good and trustworthy and pure. This gives me hope as I wait expectantly to see Him work in my life and in the lives of those around me.
From beginning to end, scripture points us to Jesus. During Advent, we focus on Jesus’s coming, preparing both for His birth and, ultimately, for His return. The scripture above points me to hope, to peace, to love, to joy… to Christ. May the hope of Christ, the peace of Christ, the love of Christ, and the joy of Christ dwell richly in you this Christmas.