(Audio)
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
The shadow of death surrounds us. The glowing light of dawn is on the horizon. Whose heart does not stir at the thought of this coming dawn? It will banish darkness that is not merely physical but spiritual.
We strain our eyes to see this hope drawing near. Already the world feels lighter, more livable. Already fear is being cast out.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
Unlike in the darkness where vague shadows strike terror in the hearts of the people, in the light things take on solidity.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
We begin to sense a place we can truly call home. This is the house of the Son of David, the Kingdom that shall endure forever before God. It is the coming of this king that lightens our horizon. To be near him is the fulfillment of all of our hope.
I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.
Jesus is the light of the world who shines in the darkness. The darkness can not comprehend or overcome him. He wants to banish the darkness from our hearts and from our world so that we can live without fear in the presence of God. What is the darkness in our own spheres of life into which we can invite Jesus as he dawns on the world this Christmas?
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