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A Dark Place

It is quite an eerie sensation to experience total darkness. Several years ago, my wife and I were visiting with a good friend in Guatemala. He invited us on a cross-country tour of their beautiful land and one of the stops was a visit to a cave. Before we entered the cave we were fitted with a helmet that had a small light attached it. As we began our descent into the cave, we turned our lights on. As we journeyed through the cave, we had to crawl through small spaces, at times on our hands and knees. We also had to climb up into small spaces. After about five minutes, we entered a large open area at which point the tour guide instructed us to turn off our lights. I believe this was the first time ever for me experiencing not darkness but total darkness. I recall putting my hand directly in front of my eyes and not being able to see absolutely anything. Suddenly, I felt a sense of fear. I wondered; if our helmet lights fail, how would we ever find our way out of this dark place?

I cannot help but think that much like the cave, the world we live in today is a very dark place. Just take into consideration what is happening all over the world: the downing of planes, terrorist attacks in Paris and California, and Christians being murdered in the most torturous ways because of their beliefs. The world has become so dark that what was once good is now bad. Cops are now thought of as the bad guys and criminals as the victims, sugar is bad but marihuana is good, morality is offensive and immorality is the fad, even offering prayers for the victims of atrocities is mocked and ridiculed.

 John 1:5-13 NIV

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.  He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

 The Light of the World

As I read the Christmas story, I am reminded that Jesus came into a world full of darkness and became the light of the world. Before He departed this earth, He left us with the responsibility of being the light in this world. There is a problem however; we cannot produce our own light. We can only and are supposed to reflect His light. This Christmas, it would be great idea if you decided to turn on your helmet light and let it shine for everyone to see.

 Merry Christmas!