I’ve been thinking lately about “The people walking in darkness” (Isaiah 9:2). It’s Advent, after all, and I need to consider more than my own preparation for the coming of Christ.
So I’ve been using these weeks before Christmas to pray for those who may feel they are “living in the land of deep darkness”(the next part of Isaiah 9:2) to have light—true light.
There are a lot of people in darkness.
There is the darkness of suffering without knowing God.
There is the darkness of emotional turmoil when you do believe.
There is the darkness of not-knowing-what-to-do.
There is the darkness of feeling helpless to help someone you love.
There is the darkness of hurting beyond hurting.
There is darkness in many ways, and in every single one of them the light of Christ can shine.
So in these days leading up to Christmas, I am praying for that lone star to shine in the darkness of others. I am praying they can see the star that is there, and follow it, even if it seems small and distant and is sometimes covered by clouds.
For “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5), and perhaps the single most important thing I can do this day and week and month is pray for the light to shine.
Maybe you, too, can get up before the sun rises and pray for them, too.
