Christmas is one of the most observed holidays in the Christian culture and community. It commemorates the birth of Jesus, the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ.

The Season of Advent is a time to remember the first advent and the anticipation of the second return of Christ the King.

Christmas is a time of celebration, joy and happiness with family and friends. Christmas symbolizes hope, faith and light. Jesus is the light from God sent to be the light of the world. According to Webster’s Dictionary, light is defined as something that makes vision. In other words, light makes illumination and vision possible, to see things differently.

Before Jesus came to the earth, there was a man sent by God called John. John’s mission was to bear witness, to tell others about the light, so that all men might become believers of that light. John assured them that he was not the light but was sent to bear witness of the light. In the Gospel of John 8:12, Jesus spoke to His disciples, telling them that “I am the light of the world and that whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Before God is in our life there is no light, no enlightenment and no meaningful life. We have no light, no illumination to come to the knowledge of God and His salvation. We believe that we are all right, not bad people — not realizing that apart from God we can do nothing of eternal or godly value and have no righteousness. According to theologian R.A. Torrey, “the man who does not know God has not began to live.”

God created man for fellowship and gave mankind a free will. Although God desires to have fellowship with His creation, He will not violate man’s free will. We have the free will to choose or reject the knowledge, the light that He makes available to us.

When light comes, things we do not know or understand become apparent and comprehensible. The light brings illumination and understanding to our situation, where we are, where we are going and hope for our future.

We need the word of God and a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. There are benefits for walking in the light:

1.) God’s word produces light, illumination (Psalms 119:105)

2.) Knowledge for right living (2 Corinthians 4:6)

3.) Enlightenment destroys ignorance

4.) Dispels areas of darkness (John 12:46)

In these economically distressful times, we need to walk in the light that is available to us as disciples/believers of Jesus Christ. We need the knowledge and wisdom of God to make decisions regarding our physical, emotional, financial and spiritual well-being.

There will be situations/matters that arise in our lives, and we need insight as to how to handle them. The light of God’s word will reveal to us what dangers may be coming up or what temptations we may face. God’s word is powerful and will penetrate and expose. The light of God’s word will shine, leading and guiding us in our decision making. The light is given so that we may have life and have it more abundantly (John 1:4). We are without excuse for we have been called out of darkness into the marvelous light of the gospel

(1 Peter 2:9).

Our level of agreement with the word of God determines our spiritual growth and development. As we agree with the word of God, more light and life comes to us. We do not have to sit in darkness, or be shaped by the darkness that is in the world. In the midst of difficulties, the Lord will be our light (Micah 7:8-9). Darkness is not a problem to God; darkness and light are alike to Him. In other words, darkness does not hinder or contain His presence or power to intervene in our lives. God is light and in Him is no darkness (I John 1:5). Light signifies God’s presence.

As children of light, put your trust in the light, live and walk as children of light and demonstrate fruit of the light. As God is the Father of lights (James 1:17), we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We are the evidence, the witnesses in the earth to the world that He, indeed, is the light of the world.

May the light of the world be revealed to the hearts of as many who will receive and believe in the birth of our Savior and Redeemer. We pray that the light continually shines upon our nation and the earth, on a changing economy, the cultural shifts and even the political promise of change in Washington, D.C. We need the light, more than 2,000 years later, a relevant message for a relevant time.

Merry Christmas.