Light in the Darkness

"The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

a light has dawned."

Isaiah 9:2

They could really use a little hope.  Things looked pretty bad for the people of God.  And what was the message God used to encourage His wayward people as they faced exile in a  time of great darkness which was a serious consequence for their unfaithfulness?  "I am sending the Light."  We as 21st Century people who are no less wayward are the beneficiaries of this prophecy.  But do we see His benefit, or would we rather stay in the dark (John 3:19)?

Counselor.  I always need guidance.  There is a constant need for help.  My inferior perspective cannot make out the course I am meant to navigate.  Therefore, I need a counselor.  And in Christ I have one always available.  But I must seek His counsel, it doesn't just come automatically through osmosis (James 1:5-7).  The choice is mine:  Follow my own ways or actively seek His.  When I ask Him for wisdom without holding back, believing He truly holds all the answers to my questions, the solutions to my problems, the only direction in the darkness, then He will generously bestow His insight upon me.

Jesus Christ is my Wonderful Counselor.

Mighty.  There are many gods to choose from.  I could try adhering to a plethora of religious principles, hoping they could save me from the meaninglessness of life, from the hopelessness I feel,  from the destruction of myself.  But none is powerful enough, all are impotent and limited in scope.  Jesus Christ is the only God who solved mankind's core problem:  sin.  Its what broke His creation, twisted everything good into something evil, turned what God meant into something He never intended.  But Jesus, in taking upon Himself that destructive sin that introduced death into His perfect Creation, introduced hope that everything will be set back as it was meant to be.  And this redemptive power is at work today in those who wholly trust their lives to Him.  He turns ashes into beauty, suffering into rejoicing, the bad into the good (Isaiah 61:1-3).  

Jesus Christ is my Mighty God.

Unlimited.  Everything I know, that I'm familiar with, is limited.  Whatever surrounds me has a beginning and a conclusion, is unable to meet all my needs, has boundaries.  Whatever power I turn to in this physical world comes to an end at some point, running out of steam and needing to be replenished.  Not with Jesus.  His strength and ability to care for His people never runs out (Isaiah 40:28).  I can count on Him whose power and dominion knows no boundaries.  In fact, everything I see belongs to Him and since He loves to give good things to His children, I can rely on Him to supply my needs, quench my thirst, fill my void (Psalm 50:10, Matthew 7:11, Matthew 6:32). This is the kind of God upon whom I can place my faith.

Jesus Christ is my Everlasting Father.

Reconciliatory.  He did what no one else could do.  He bridged the void sin left between mankind and God.  He filled the gap that sin created.  His work on the cross built a bridge between me the wretched and God the good.  His ministry of reconciliation delivered peace between God and myself whom my flesh made into His natural enemy (Colossians 1:22, Romans 5:10).  Not only this, but He also made a way for this peace to be available within myself, guarding my heart against fear and my mind against anxiety (Philippians 4:7).

Jesus Christ is my Prince of Peace.

He is the Light of the world, yet many would rather stay in the darkness.  To those who step into His wonderful Light, however, the risk taken in giving all to Him pays off in dividends whose value we cannot fathom.  Jesus is my Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.  These are the benefits I receive by faith when I leave behind the darkness and enter into His beautiful Light.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to give Jesus my entire life, leaving the darkness of my sins behind.

When do I cling to my sin, unwittingly choosing it over the Light?

How would it change my life to know I can go to Jesus with any problem I encounter?