The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9:2
The English Oxford Dictionary defines light as the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible. Without light we would not be able to see. Without light we would not be able to live and thrive.
To fully appreciate light, one must first experience darkness. To be truly thankful for the coming of dawn, one must endure the night. Hardships and trials are the strongest factors that provide us with a greater appreciation for the hope light brings. The expression, “a light at the end of the tunnel” speaks to that truth.
I think of those twelve boys trapped for nine days in that cave in Taiwan before they were found. Imagine total obscurity for days on end, when suddenly a light shines through the darkness. Anguish turns into elation. Despair transforms into hope. Help has finally arrived. The lost are found. Their story would have ended very differently had those rescuers not brought light and salvation.
Our story would also end very differently had Christ, the Light of the world, not come to rescue us from spiritual darkness for light and obscurity cannot coexist. Where light enters, darkness must flee. Without Christ, we would be lost forever. Only He can offer the salvation we so desperately need.
I’m fairly sure none of those boys in that cave turned their backs on their rescuers. On the contrary, they knew those men were their only hope. They understood those rescuers were the only means for their salvation.
Have you accepted God’s gift of light? Have you asked Jesus to be your Savior? If not, won’t you invite Him into your life today?
Thought: “To be truly thankful for the coming of dawn, one must endure the night.” Renée Vajko Srch