Light and Life

During the weeks leading up to Christmas, I had hoped/planned to write some Christmas posts; Jesus birth, the angels singing, the beauty of it all. But a touch of sickness, mixed with a dose of computer problems, topped with a complete lack of inspiration made for some great difficulty in writing at all.

I absolutely love Christmas; the music, the decorating, the shopping, the gift-giving, the family gatherings, the baking. But although I love this time of year, inspiration has been absent. I didn’t want to not write at all, so instead of a series there will be this one post about Christmas. 

My two favorite passages of Scripture that speak of Jesus coming to earth don’t really speak of His birth. At least, not in the virgin-Mary-angels-visiting-shepherds-hearing-the-good-news sense. But both speak of what Jesus coming means for us.

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:1, 6

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
"The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
​John 1:1-5, 9-14

Jesus came as light and life. Jesus is light and life. Light that penetrates and transforms dark hearts so truth can be seen and love can be expressed. Life that breathes into deadened hopes and causes to thrive the once crushed and oppressed. 

These two passages from God’s Word are descriptive of the character of Jesus, and in His character we find many promises for us:

Wonderful Counselor
By His Spirit, Jesus reveals truth to us, so we may know Him more and live by His truth. There are so many lies we fall for… you’re ugly, you’re worthless, no on loves you. And when we begin to believe those lies, we succumb to sin and are enslaved. The truth found in God’s Word and taught us by His Spirit defeats the lies that attempt to entrap us. 

“When the Counselor comes, whom I [Jesus] will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, He will testify about Me. When He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.” John 15:26, 16:13

“Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” John 8:31-32

Mighty God
Jesus is all-powerful, sovereign, creator, ruler and sustainer of the universe. There will come times in life of stress, when we feel overwhelmed and confused, when we ask “why?”, when we wonder if we can take another step, when we wonder if we really can resist temptation. But we can rest knowing Jesus is in complete control and by His power we can overcome any hardship.  

“I can do everything through [Christ] who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

​“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I [Jesus] have overcome the world.”   John 16:33

Everlasting Father
Jesus is personal, intimate, loving, caring. He provides and protects. He disciplines and helps us grow. He showers us with blessings and lavishes us with gifts. Any feelings and fears of loneliness, rejection and abandonment He longs to wipe out of our hearts as we live in His presence and embrace. 

“I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”   2 Corinthians 6:18 

Prince of Peace
By His life, death and being raised to life, Jesus made the way for us to be reconciled to God; for there to be peace between our spirit and God’s, that we may live by the Spirit. It is when we walk in step with God’s Spirit that we may have peace in life, even when life gets crazy, busy and less-than-ideal.

“For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in [Jesus], and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:19-20

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” John 14:27

Children of God
When we receive Jesus and believe in His name, we become children of God. In being children of God, we share in the inheritance of Christ and we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ. We can rest in the character and promises of Jesus. And we are to share His light and life with those around us.

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”   Romans 8:17

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

“…you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life.” Philippians 2:15-16

You know that saying, “Jesus is the reason for the season”? It may be somewhat cliché, but it is also true. Jesus is the reason for Christmas. Jesus is the reason for life itself. 

Merry Christmas!

The post Light and Life first appeared on The Overflowing
All Scriptures taken from the NIV