A Light has Dawned (You are not Alone in the Dark)
Have you ever felt like your circumstances were too much to handle? Or like the weight of medical decisions or setbacks made it difficult to see hope in the moment? One of the things that’s consistent across every family we’ve been able to interview is that tough, dark days happen.
The events of recent weeks with the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine and “stay at home” rules, social injustice and unrest, and uncertainty about what the future holds adds even more of a burden. Maybe you’re in a season where you’re feeling the weight of current events and the unknown of a diagnosis — a heavy burden to bear.
A Different Kind of Light
I was reading through old notes, and the phrase, “a light has dawned” jumped out to me. It made me think about the fact that my circumstances can cloud my view. But it also encouraged me that time and time again, when I’ve felt like the days were dark, God was faithful to dawn the light of hope in my mind.
The note I came across was from reading in Matthew right as Jesus begins his ministry. In this moment in time, Jesus fulfills a beautiful promise found in Isaiah as he’s going to visit a dark place.
“...the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
Matthew 4:16
How beautiful that the first picture of Jesus beginning his mission is that of light dawning to people in need of hope.
This picture of the light dawning is one that I’ve always loved. Whether I’m at home, in the car, camping, or on an early run, the first light of day is one of my favorite times. It reminds me the darkness doesn’t last forever. It reminds me that all creation shouts the praise of God’s beauty. It reminds me of the gentle beauty of Jesus’s time spent with the broken and hurting on earth.
An Ever-present Light
It’s okay if you feel like you’re in the dark of night or like your burden is too heavy or like you’re uncertain what the future holds. If you’re like me, maybe you need to read that again: It’s okay.
It’s in those moments that the light of Jesus gently washes over us. It’s in those moments when Jesus shows us again and again that he loves the hurting and broken and that he is our ever-present help in trouble. As the light of his hope dawns on us, we can exchange worry for peace, loneliness for presence, and striving for surrender.
I also find comfort in the fact that Jesus calls us to lean on him daily. There are so many times when I have to remind myself of the promise and hope of Jesus and then 10 minutes later I’ve gone back to feeling overwhelmed by my circumstances. The reality is that we aren’t meant to find hope in our own strength. We’re made to find our purpose and needs met in our Heavenly Father through Jesus.
And in these seasons where finding hope feels like it takes extra effort and constant reminding, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus is with us. We have the light of his word and the comfort of his Spirit in us. We have the promises of God to stand on. For me, that’s where hope that’s deeper than my circumstances is found.
A Hope-filled Light
If you’re in a season where you’re struggling to find hope or you are ready for the Light to dawn on you, I believe Jesus is ready to embrace you. His death on the cross completed the work of taking the punishment for our wrongs that separated us from God. And Jesus’ resurrection is the dawn of hope that we truly never walk alone when we’ve surrendered to him.
I decided to look up the promise in Isaiah that Matthew writes about, and it’s full of the promises of God for us, the gentleness of Jesus, and truth we can find hope in. My prayer is that the hope of Jesus will dawn on you today.
“‘Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.’
This is what God the Lord says —
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
‘I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
‘I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.’”
Isaiah 42:1-9
