Advent and Light

We often think of the Christmas Season as festive with lights all around "brightening" the nights to almost daytime. While true, at the same time Advent is a bit of a "dark" time. We are waiting for the light of the world to come. When light is "yet to come"......it is dark.

Imagine how it was in Judea 2,000 years ago. Nothing, had been revealed to God's people for almost four hundred years; nothing. That would be like saying we have not seen or heard from God since 1606AD. A long time. I would imagine people were feeling left in the dark. When would God come again? Did He ever really come, or were those stories of Moses fables and legends? Why are the Romans oppressing us? Are we abandoned? It was a dark time.

So our worship services are a bit dark during Advent. It is not the only time of the year we go dark. Charles Hooper and I were recently conversing about it and he said "There are "dark" services in the church year, around Easter: Maundy Thursday meal, Good Friday, and First service of Easter ("Sunrise services") traditionally done on Saturday nights or midnight. Easter morn the lights and the sun (Son) come shinning in. Advent does carry with it the idea of the world being in darkness till the Messiah comes. Robert Webber, in Ancient Future Time, chapter 2 "Advent: The Cycle of Light", talks about how the birth of Christ and his baptism is a coming of the light, (John 1:6-8)."

For some, dark is uncomfortable. It is harder to worship than when there is light streaming through the windows. It is almost like a fast. We want food when we fast. We want light when it is dark. The light we need is the Light of the World. He came and He is coming again. Let us hunger for Him during this season. Blessings