In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1;1-5 KJV
One of the things that I love the most about Christmastime is the lights decorating people's homes, and the lighted Christmas decorations that are up decorating the main streets of the towns in the area. The lights do not shine during daylight hours, for obvious reasons. Once it gets dark they stand out beautifully, shining out in the darkness.
When Jesus came to live among us He was a bright light in a dark world. The rabbis, scribes and Pharisees should have recognized Him because they made it their profession to know the Word of God through the writings. They knew the writings and yet they didn't recognize the One who the writings were written for and about. The more He tried to reason with them the more they wanted to kill Him, and when the time was right that is exactly what they did, because even that most heinous of acts was within the good plan of God, to use what the devil meant for evil for good because that dark act made the goodness of Jesus shine in the darkness all the more brightly.
There are so many signs that we are seeing while the world grows darker in it's deeds and hatred of Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins, and yet as the days become more evil I pray that the light of Jesus and the good news of His grace will shine all the more brightly to bring hope to a lost and dying world.
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Daniel 12:1-3 KJV
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 KJV
