Devotional -

Expelling the Darkness ( 23 December )

About this Devotional
Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like him. Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave his life for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice that pleases God. Since you are God's people, it is not right that any matters of sexual immorality or indecency or greed should even be mentioned among you. Nor is it fitting for you to use language which is obscene, profane, or vulgar. Rather you should give thanks to God. . . . You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord's people, you are in the light. So you must live like people who belong to the light, for it is the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth. Try to learn what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light. (It is really too shameful even to talk about the things they do in secret.) And when all things are brought out to the light, then their true nature is clearly revealed; for anything that is clearly revealed becomes light. That is why it is said, "Wake up, sleeper, and rise from death, and Christ will shine on you."
Ephesians 5:1-4, 8-14

As Christians living in a land of conflict and instability, we should be seeking to bring stability to people's lives. We must set our eyes and hearts on caring for the sick and hurting, the broken-hearted, and those experiencing any form of darkness. More than that, however, Paul encourages us to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness. Unfortunately, we often tend to be quite timid and lethargic. We need to wake up and allow Christ's light to penetrate through us to people and situations around us.

The forces of darkness are active everywhere. Not only in this land, but in all parts of the world, there is constant turmoil. It should be no surprise, then, that the very place where Jesus, the Lord of Light, was born should today be in such darkness, with so much opposition to Christian faith. Poverty, hopelessness, hatred, and a lack of freedom have become the norm.

As we watch the dwindling of the light of love and the love of light, we are reminded by the apostle John (John 1:5) that it only takes a single light to dispel the darkness; darkness cannot put out light. A great light shines forth when Christians stand together in faith, hope, and love, like the Good Samaritan serving their neighbors, regardless of religion, race, or nationality.

"It is good to be able to enjoy the pleasant light of day." (Ecclesiastes 11:7) Indeed, there is no delight in darkness.

- 23 DECEMBER -