Arise & Shine

Images of darkness & light

Isaiah 60:1-3 | John 1:9-14
Reading through Isaiah during Advent: Isaiah 60-63

You are waking up today after the longest night of the year. December 21st brings the winter solstice, the overnight of which is the longest darkness of the year. With the sun rising today, more light is added to each day.

There might be no more consistently strong imagery in the Bible than darkness and light. From the very first chapter of Genesis to the last bits of the book of Revelation, light and darkness serve as pointed opposites depicting chaos/order, evil/goodness, lying/truth, sinfulness/grace, death/life.

Every human knows the difference between darkness and light, from a baby to those who are blind, multiple senses can detect the difference. As we grow older, we know that it’s easier to fall to sinfulness in the darkness than in the light. Even our physical lives are light-sensitive, be it our epidermis, our inner being, or our psyche.

So it’s no surprise that Isaiah uses the image. Below, we have a call to receive the light of God’s glory and to stand within the darkness as a beacon of radiance.

But again…do not miss the terms of light. Who would disagree that light is good? But the prophetic call of Isaiah, and he justice-call of Jesus Christ are to particular terms - justice and liberation for those who are oppressed.

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Isaiah 60:1-3

Arise! Shine! Your light has come;
    the Lord’s glory has shone upon you.
Though darkness covers the earth
    and gloom the nations,
    the Lord will shine upon you;
    God’s glory will appear over you.
Nations will come to your light
    and kings to your dawning radiance.

John 1:9-14

The true light that shines on all people
    was coming into the world.
The light was in the world,
    and the world came into being through the light,
        but the world didn’t recognize the light.
The light came to his own people,
    and his own people didn’t welcome him.
But those who did welcome him,
        those who believed in his name,
    he authorized to become God’s children,
        born not from blood
        nor from human desire or passion,
        but born from God.
The Word became flesh
    and made his home among us.
We have seen his glory,
    glory like that of a father’s only son,
        full of grace and truth.

Prayer

God,

Thank you for light. Help me live into it’s warmth and truth today.

By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.