Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.
This passage illustrates one of the main reasons why I chose the title of my blog, Live in Contrast. The "land of the shadow of death" can also be rendered the "land of darkness." Contrast is the difference between darkness and light, between sin and redemption.
Imagine walking in darkness with no end, and suddenly seeing light approaching over the horizon! I take this very personally, because I remember working the late shift (4:30pm until 3:00am) for six months after college, seeing at most an hour of sunlight every day that was quickly absorbed by the night. Every day of my existence literally began as light was fading and ended with the coldness of a Chicago winter in the dead of night. It was depressing and despairing. It was after nearly five months of this that I began to understand the words of the Christmas song, Oh! Holy Night:
The thrill of hope!
A weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn!
The contrast between darkness and light, despair and hope, cannot be displayed any better than when the darkness of night is pierced by the rising of the sun at dawn. Seeing and feeling the daylight breaking was the most wonderful thing in the world to me after months of living in darkness. Out of darkness, light was entering the world! Out of sin, new hope appeared!
How great is our God, who conceived of all of this and sent light into a darkened world!
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