By Garth Whewell 

I have heard the word darkness defined simply as the absence of light. Absolute darkness can only exist if you have an absolute absence of light. As soon as even the smallest amount of light is present, you no longer have absolute darkness.

Absolute evil can only exist if there is an absolute absence of good. In the world in which we live there is a constant battle between light and dark, good and evil. When God is absent, darkness and evil prevail. When God is present, darkness and evil give way to light and goodness because the glory of God and the radiance of Jesus are the light of the world. 

God Sent Light

“In him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4, NIV, 1984). On that wonderful night when God sent an angel to proclaim the birth of a Savior, Christ became light, and darkness no longer had a hold on this world. The Gospel of John proclaims that since the beginning of creation, the Word was with God. On that very first Christmas night the Word, Jesus Christ, became flesh and made his dwelling among us. The light of Christ not only appeared on that night, but shines throughout all generations through believers in Christ. 

You Are Light 

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8).

We’re familiar with the song we sang in our youth groups and Sunday school classes, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna’ let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” That’s more than a catchy tune; it’s a command from God. The last part of Ephesians 5:8 tells us to “Live as children of light.” This week we will celebrate the spectacular event when Christ entered the world and we will praise God for his “indescribable gift.” Let’s share that gift. Let’s take our little lights and let them shine in our communities, letting the world know that we indeed are alive in the light of Christ. 

Garth Whewell is a bi-vocational minister. He is the general manager for a landscaping company and currently ministers at Rising Sun Christian Church and Allison Prairie Church of the Brethren. He lives in Lawrence County Illinois with his wife, Christy, and their two children, Wyatt and Elsie.