King of Day and Night 3rd Wednesday in Advent Read: Zechariah 14:6-9 “It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime – a day known to the Lord. When evening comes, there will be light.” Zechariah 14:7 (NIV)
I have always been fascinated by the countries close to the North Pole (Arctic Circle). Finland and Greenland are countries where the amount of sunlight varies greatly depending on the time of the year. In northern Finland they experience the phenomenon of the Midnight Sun, where the sun doesn’t set for months. The sun just circles around the sky all day and night. In winter, this region experiences polar nights with very little or no sunlight. For us in Australia, this is all very foreign. We have daylight saving in summer, but nothing compared to this. What is the passage in Zechariah talking about then?
Zechariah was a prophet and a priest around 520 BCE. He describes a very unique day, some even think it refers to the end times, which has both light and darkness leading to the establishment of God’s Kingdom. It is a time when God’s power and presence is evident, even though the natural order of things is confused. But mostly it shows that God has the sovereign power over all things, including the day and the night. If God can rule over the day and the night and have sovereign power over all things, wouldn’t it be natural for God to rule as a King over the world?
But no, God chose to be a loving God ruling with grace and forgiveness. He sent His Son to earth at Christmas to bring peace to the earth. He didn’t want to come with horns and fanfare, changing the orbit of the earth, or making time stand still. Rather He had the Son of God, the light of the world, the Messiah, the Saviour, come in quietness and humility to a young couple. This is the God I want in my life.
A God who is an all-powerful Sovereign ruler, but chooses to rule with grace, love and peace. He brought light to the world in a little baby. My God is King of the World but knows my name! Prayer: Mighty God. You are ruler of the world, yet you care for me. You know my name and hear my prayers. Thank you for being a God that I can talk to and for bringing your Son to be my Saviour. Amen.
3rd Tuesday in Advent Read: Micah 7:7-9 “Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.” Micah 7:8b (NIV)
‘The Hare boasts to the other animals about how fast he can run. He challenges them to a race and when none of them responds he taunts them that they are too scared even to try. When the Tortoise offers to race the Hare scoffs that he won’t waste his time racing the slowest creature in the world. Some of the animals laugh at this so the Hare agrees to a race. The Tortoise spends the week in training but continues to move very slowly and the other animals wonder if the race is a good idea. Nevertheless, there is a large crowd of animals gathered on the day of the race.’
‘The race starts and the Hare roars off. When he stops to look back, the Tortoise has barely crossed the starting line. The Hare taunts the Tortoise and decides to have a nap in the sun; he sleeps for so long that the Tortoise is able to overtake him. The animals cheer as the Tortoise nears the finishing tree and this wakes up the Hare. The Hare runs as fast as he can to catch up, but the Tortoise just makes it over the finish line in time. Sometimes slow and steady wins the race.’ This is one of Aesop’s fables which was believed to have been written during the 6th century BCE.
The fables were written to convey moral lessons. We can also apply this to God’s teachings. The world is fast paced and brags that it can supply everything that we need for a good life: gym membership, money, big house, e-bike, Tesla, etc. God offers the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and eternal life in Heaven with a loving Saviour. God never rests. If we fall, He will help us up; if we are in a state of darkness and despair, God will be the light to bring relief to our souls. Let God who is our light and life be the steady influence in your life.
God’s way is the only way to win in the race of life! Prayer: Loving Lord, you are my light and life and in you I place all that I am and all that I have. May I always rely on you for everything I need for this life and beyond. Amen.
Revealer of Mysteries Read: Daniel 2:19-23 “He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” Daniel 2:22 (NIV)
If you have never read about King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, I would encourage you to read the whole of chapter 2 of Daniel. In a nutshell: King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and wanted it to be interpreted by his wise men and magicians, but rather than tell them the dream to interpret, he wanted them to tell him the dream. These wise men were meant to be in touch with the gods to be able to interpret. But they couldn’t. So, all the wise men in the kingdom were to be executed and cut in pieces – Daniel and his friends were included. Daniel prayed to the true God of Heaven for mercy and wisdom concerning the mystery and God came through for Daniel. Daniel praised and thanked God for His wisdom and for helping him and his friends.
“He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” (verse 22) Daniel then went to the King and told him the dream where there was a large statue made of many metals: head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. This statue is destroyed by a stone that is not made of human hands and that becomes a mountain. Daniel then tells the King the meaning. The worldly empires (the statue) will rise and fall over generations until the ultimate establishment of God’s eternal Kingdom (the stone becoming a mountain).
Only the God of Heaven has any ability to reveal mysteries. “The king said to Daniel, ‘Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.’” (verse 47) Throughout the Bible stories God shows His power that He is greater and stronger than anything or any other god. Only the light of goodness comes from Him. What an amazing God we have! Trust in the God of Heaven and earth – He knows everything! Prayer: God of wonder and light, thank you for revealing yourself to me as a God of love and light. Continue to work in and through me that others will be able to see your majesty. Amen
God’s Lighthouse 3rd Sunday in Advent Read: Isaiah 60:1-3 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1 (NIV)
For a couple years, while I was in my 20’s, I took up sailing as a pastime when a friend invited me as a crew member on a 44-foot yacht. We sailed every Sunday from Outer Harbour – sometimes in races, sometimes for pleasure and other times to hone our skills for racing. One weekend we went on an overnighter to Yorke Peninsula. I remember waking one night for my turn at watch and the person at the helm asked me to take over. There was no moon and no stars because of cloud cover, and I asked about where I steer to and take my bearings?
Off in the far distance was a small pinprick of light, a lighthouse. I was told to keep the bow of the ship pointed to that light. The purpose of a lighthouse is to be the unchanging light for ships to steer and be guided by. They are also a warning, telling of rocks and land. This lighthouse guided us safely through the night. God’s glory similarly shines out bright and strong showing us the right way to go and guiding us through dangers. This glory of God is not just a physical light, but it is also the reflection of God’s love, character and His truth. When we are out in life like a ship without any light to be guided by, God’s lighthouse shines out bright and strong leading us and others to the hope and salvation found in Jesus Christ.
We are called to ‘arise and shine’, to live actively in God’s light to draw and share that light with others. It is an attractive light that draws people to God, just as ships are drawn to a lighthouse. In verse 3 the passage talks about nations coming to the light. God’s plan is for the salvation of everyone.
The glory of God shines in and through our lives. Be a beacon of God’s love this Advent season and bring a friend into God’s light. Shine out brightly for others to see God’s love through who you are! Prayer: My glorious God, thank you for shining out brightly into my life and for guiding me through difficult times. Help me to also be that beacon of hope for others to see you at work through me. Amen
Peaceful Light 2nd Saturday in Advent Read: Isaiah 45:5-8 “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness…” Isaiah 45:6b-7a (NIV)
In my younger days I loved to go camping. My friend Julie and I spent many days out in the bush, roughing it, walking through God’s amazing creation and tenting where there were no others. The Blue Mountains, the Coorong, Flinders Ranges and Halls Gap, all these places hold amazing memories. One thing I especially remember was the darkness. Once we turned off our torches and lamps for the night, there was only blackness in the tent, but to then venture out of the tent, the moon and even the stars gave comforting light. These were peaceful lights.
God created the day lights and the night lights. One set to rule the day and the other to rule the night. Thinking about God’s light – we are never without it physically, so relating that to us spiritually – we are never without the presence of God’s light shining into our lives and hearts. At Advent we start celebrating the light of the Christ-child who is coming at Christmas to bring light into the darkened souls of people. Back before Jesus came, the people did not have the Saviour, they had the hope and the promise that God was sending a Messiah, a Saviour to bring light, life and peace into an unsettled world. We also live in an unsettled world and many walk around in the darkness without the light of Christ and
His forgiveness and promise of eternal life. Our society finds other things to fill this absence of God’s light in their lives. Jesus came to bring light to everyone – no exceptions! God sent the bright light of day, the muted light of night and then total darkness of being in absence of light. As Christians we mostly walk in the bright day, but there are also times when we feel muted of light or absent of God’s presence. Jesus brings light and love to the darkened places – call on Him and live in the light of day. Whether in the light or dark – God never leaves you! Prayer: Shining Jesus, light my heart with your love and presence. Help me to light others’ lives by sharing with them your hope and promises. Amen
The Peace Child Read: 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.” Isaiah 9:2 (NIV).
In 1962, the Sawi people of New Guinea still lived in relative isolation. They were head hunting cannibals. Their culture could not be more different from that of Don and Carol Richardson, and yet this missionary couple attempted to share Christ with them. In fact, two rival Sawi tribes, fascinated by the Richardsons, moved their villages right around the missionaries’ jungle home.
But Don became frustrated by his inability to find a point of contact. He was also discouraged by the 14 civil wars he had already counted right outside his front door now that the two tribes lived side by side. Eventually, the Richardsons decided to leave. However, the Sawi response surprised them: “If you’ll stay, we promise we’ll make peace in the morning.” The next morning the Richardsons awoke to see the most amazing ritual they had ever witnessed. The two tribes were lined up outside their houses, on either side of the clearing.
Finally, one man dashed into his hut, grabbed his newborn son, and began to run across the meadow towards the other tribe. His expression betrayed absolute agony. His wife ran after him, screaming and begging him to give the baby back to her. But her husband wouldn’t stop. He ran over to the other tribe and presented the boy to them. “Plead the peace child for me.
I give you my son, and I give you my name,” he said. Moments later, someone from that tribe performed the same agonizing sacrifice with the same intensity and passion. Richardson found out later that as long as those two children remained alive, the tribes were bound to peace. While this amazing scene unfolded before him, Don suddenly realized that this was the analogy he needed to communicate Christ. The next time he spoke to the Sawi elders he told them of the perfect Peace Child, Jesus. There are many around us who walk in darkness without Jesus.
This Christmas, share the story of the Peace Child born in a manger as the Son of God. Baby Jesus is our child of peace to bring light to a darkened world! Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to share the wonderful news of your Son’s birth with those around me. Bring me out of any darkness of sin into your amazing light. Amen
Look to the Sunrise 2nd Thursday in Advent Read: 2 Samuel 23:1-5 “[God] is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.” 2 Samuel 23:4 (NIV)
In January 1987, four LTC (Lutheran Teacher’s College) graduates set off from Adelaide in two cars to our postings in Queensland. In Brisbane we parted with two graduates going further north-west. Fran and myself drove up the Sunshine Coast where I dropped her in Buderim. I got up early from Buderim after staying one more night with Fran before heading towards Noosa by myself. I was going to a 1-year-old school, hopefully a place to stay and a brand-new class as a brand-new teacher. Good Shepherd Lutheran School had grown from 75 to 150 students in 1987 – what would all this newness hold for me?
As I watched the sun rise heading north to Noosa, I was excited, anxious but also in awe of what God had in store for me. I am sure we have all had this newness feeling. Starting a new job, moving to a new place, a new house, a new school, getting married – everything has a first day, a new beginning! God gives us the sunrise to remind us that He is the light of each new day and through that newness He will shine a path guiding us and leading us. I love the other analogy that the writer of 2 Samuel uses: God is “like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.”
We not only have God’s light to guide us at the beginning of each day, but we have the assurance that He will nourish us with His blessings to keep us growing. That first year of teaching in a new school brought with it many challenges: a broken blackboard, minimal teaching resources, a classroom made up of two office demountables put together, and the need for 6 buckets when it rained. But each morning the sun rose, and I could share God’s blessings with my children and grow them in His love. May each of your sunrises bring God’s light in love and peace.
Take time to be in God’s goodness as we journey to Bethlehem. Grow in God’s light and blessings! Prayer: God of the sunrises and new beginnings. I thank and praise you for each new day and with it help me to see the light of your blessings. May they nourish my life and those around me. Amen
Night Is as Day to God 2nd Wednesday in Advent Read: Psalm 139:7-12 “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.’” Psalm 139:11-12 (NIV)
In 1991 when I nannied in Wales, I took several trips to London when I had time off. I travelled by bus and also by the underground to where I stayed with a friend. One time I remember while on the underground train, the lights went out, the air conditioner stopped, and it became blackness. I remember being terrified as in the darkness, with no light, the mind plays tricks and makes up scary scenarios in the darkness. Around me I could also hear people crying and calling out. After a couple minutes (seemed like hours), all the power came back on, and we went on our way.
Being in the dark, out of control and cast into the unknown is terrifying. King David must have felt like this at times to write Psalm 139, which tells us that no matter where we go, no matter what we do, or how far away from God we may feel… He is always there. God is omnipresent (everywhere at one time) and omniscient (all-seeing). Even the darkness is not dark to God, but it is as light as day. God shines His light in all our dark places – we can never hide from God, which is so comforting to know He is always looking over us and hearing us in all situations.
When I was caught in the underground in London, I felt so alone, so out of control. With God, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. When events or crises occur in our lives it is wonderful to know that we are not alone, and God has promised that ‘This too will pass’. During these times it is hard to hold onto the hope of the unknown. But know when you cannot hold onto hope – Jesus is holding on to you leading and guiding you through the dark places.
Place your love and trust in a God who will never leave you – you are never alone even in the darkest places. There is no darkness with God – only the light of His presence and love! Prayer: Guiding God, send light into my heart and life especially during the dark times. Hold onto me and never let me go. With you beside me I know that I can get through anything. Thank you. Amen.
Clarity of Understanding Read: Psalm 119:129-135 “The unfolding of your words gives light… Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your decrees.” Psalm 119:130a, 135 (NIV)
I remember sitting in my year 11 chemistry class listening to Mr Bowden explaining about the chemical elements and their relationship to each other and how we use our knowledge of the periodic table to be able to draw the chemical equations representing the chemical reactions. I was so confused and did not understand what was being talked about at all. It sounded like another foreign language. Does this hold true to you with any of the classes you took at school? I remember going home and asking my brother James – a chemistry teacher to explain it all again.
This time I understood most but needed to go back again and again to James for clarification. The Bible is much like that, which is why we go to church and have Bible Studies to clarify what God is saying to us through His Word. During the service we hear the Pastor in the sermon explaining and giving us background as to why God is saying this, or why He is doing that. As humans we cannot expect to understand God’s ways immediately, but like in the verse above, we gain light and clarity through the unfolding of God’s Words through those who have also studied and asked the questions from others.
Bible study is so important to pursue as a Christian. It opens God’s plans and shows us His unfailing love for us through sending His Son Jesus as a human baby to live as a human with all the human experiences. God is a compassionate and loving God who created each of us in His image and ultimately wants the whole of humankind to be saved. As we come to the beginning of a new church year, and the end of a calendar year, make a resolution to attend a study with others to learn, discuss and grow in God’s Word to illuminate your understanding of the Scriptures and God’s incredible love and plan for all the world. We can never be too busy to learn about God from His Word! Prayer: Lord God, open your Word to me that I may understand and grow in the knowledge of your plan for my life. Help me to continue to grow and learn with others. Amen.