Advent: Waiting for LoveSample

DAY 4: The Presence of Light

Advent does not deny the darkness; it declares that light has come.

Isaiah foretold, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; for those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” (Isaiah 9:2, NLT)

When Jesus entered the world, it was not into the safety of daylight but into the shadow of night. He was conceived in the darkness of Mary’s womb. He was born in a dim stable lit only by lanterns and starlight. And at the end of His earthly life, He lay again in darkness—sealed in the tomb of Joseph.

Yet in every dark place He entered, light broke through.

John wrote of Jesus, “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John 1:4–5, NLT)

That’s the hope of Advent: the light still shines.

The world has always been full of shadows—war, grief, division, injustice. But the Incarnation is God’s way of saying, “I see your darkness, and I will not leave you in it.” Christ doesn’t wait for the night to pass before He enters; He steps right into it and brings His light with Him.

Artist Scott Erickson once wrote, “Everything can be taken away except that hidden part of me that Jesus illuminates.” That’s the miracle of Advent light. It may not remove the darkness around us, but it reveals the divine presence within us.

The Incarnation is not the absence of darkness but the presence of light. And every time we light a candle, speak a kind word, offer forgiveness, or act in love, we join that same miracle.

Advent is God’s reminder that light is more stubborn than shadow. It will not go out. It cannot be overcome.

REFLECTION:
Where do you most need the light of Christ to shine right now? What small act could you take today to reflect His light into someone else’s darkness?