December 3, 2024 Devo

December 3rd, 2024

“It’s All About Jesus!”
The Birth of Jesus – The Prophecies
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” – Isaiah 9:2 (NLT)
“You’re Not Alone in the Dark”

Next week, I’ll be speaking at a “Blue Christmas” service in Dayton, Ohio. It’s a special service of hope and healing for those who may find the holidays a bit difficult to get through. We often call this “the most wonderful time of the year.” And it is. Except when it’s not. My guess is there are a lot of you who know exactly what I’m talking about.
In one stretch this past year I think I did eight funerals in just three to four months. That means for all of these families, and a ton more like them, Christmas will be celebrated with someone missing. The parties won’t be the same. The family traditions won’t be the same. NOTHING will be the same. While many of us are hanging our lights, others feel like they are sinking into darkness.
But those of us who are grieving those losses aren’t alone. There are a host of others who are walking in that “land of deep darkness” that Isaiah talked about as well. That dark place may be because of a divorce, separation, or marital crisis. It may be the scary darkness of a serious medical diagnosis. Perhaps it’s the thick clouds of depression. Or maybe it's the cave of doubt, fear, or failure.
It is to all of us who are battling our darkness that Isaiah writes the famous words. “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” While darkness has many forms, True Light only has one: Jesus. To those whose lives are darkened by sin, He comes with His Light of Grace and Forgiveness. To those who are grieving, He comes as our Comforter and Friend. To those who have been abandoned or forgotten, He comes as our Constant Companion. To those who are hurting, He is our Physician and Healer. He is our Living Hope, our Guiding Star, and our Calming Presence. He is not only the one we hold onto, He is the one who holds onto us.
Are YOU walking in darkness this Christmas season? God thought of you. Long before you were born, He had Isaiah write down these words of hope so you would know you are neither lost nor alone. Your Light has come. That’s God’s Word for you today.