Scripture: Psalm 112:1, 4 (NRSVA) – “Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments.” “They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.”

Message: The image that pops into my mind when reading these verses is that of a lighthouse; a solidly grounded beacon shining in the darkness as powerful winds and waves pound the rocks on which it stands, doing their utmost to diminish and overcome the light. Stirring stuff, but do we really live up to the image?

We live in increasingly dark and potentially very dangerous times. Some rich, powerful influencers seek to create division by playing on seemingly reasonable anxieties as our God-given home, planet Earth, undergoes massive environmental change at great pace. Fake news? Tell that to the millions who are on the move across the planet as the icecaps melt, sea levels rise, storms become more powerful, and the land and the waters which once sustained them fail, or to those whose livelihoods have been destroyed by exploitation, or warfare.

What is the truly Christ-like response to these of our brothers and sisters: build walls; pull up the drawbridges; create barriers between them and us? No; surely not. The Way of Jesus points us clearly towards the graciousness, mercy and righteousness (doing the right thing in God’s eyes) that the psalmist celebrates.

As we look to celebrate the birth of the Christ-child, may we all find the courage to reflect something of the light that He brought to the world. Let us be beacons of clarity and hope in the darkness for others; and perhaps we might entertain angels unawares in the process.

Prayer:

Lord of all love

Revealed through the ministry, teachings and death of Jesus

Help us in these rapidly changing times

To resist the undertow of social forces that would drag us into the ways of death.

Rather, give us the courage and steadfastness

To hold fast to the Ways of Jesus

And shine the Christ-light in these dark and troublesome times. Amen.

Mike Evans
Midsomer Norton Methodist Church
Midsomer Norton, United Kingdom

Light In The Darkness

As we look to celebrate the birth of the Christ-child, may we all find the courage to reflect something of the light that He brought to the world. Let us be beacons of clarity and hope in the darkness for others; and perhaps we might entertain angels unawares in the process.

Prayer:

Lord of all love