Most of us are familiar with Clement Moore’s poem written in 1822 that
has become a tradition in many homes prior to Christmas. “Twas the night before Christmas, when all
through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. . ..”
The truth is that is was night time before Christmas – before
Christ’s birth. We read in the Gospels
that “In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the
fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. It was also night in Israel
in an emotional sense. Israel was under
the rule of Rome. They were slaves of
the Roman Empire. It was also night time
for Israel socially. Many Jews had returned
from exile and were worshiping God in Jerusalem, but many more had stayed in
Persia, and still others had settled in Egypt and elsewhere.[1] Families were divided. Friends were distant.
It was also night time in Israel, spiritually. The Hebrew community was chastened. Turning
the page from the Book of Malachi to the first chapter of the New Testament is
a leap of more than four hundred years. It had been 400 years since God had
spoken to Israel. The light of God’s
face had been turned away.
It
is always night time before God does something creative and wonderful.
The ancient record tells us that before God spoke the Universe
into being in one miraculous creative act – it was night. (Genesis
1:1-3)
Darkness precedes dawn.
There was darkness in the life of Mary and Joseph. We glamorize the Christmas story, but forget
that Mary was a teenager. She was
pregnant. She had never been sexually
active. But only she and God knew
that. Even her fiancée couldn’t be
sure. She was about fifteen and
pregnant, forced to travel in the latter stages of her pregnancy – forced to
find a dwelling in a stable.
It is always dark before the
light.
Prior a person coming to faith in Christ – being set free from
sin’s curse and finding freedom in a relationship with God, the Bible says they
are in darkness. 2
Corinthians 4:3-6
There is always darkness before
light.
Jesus made an amazing claim while on earth. He said, “Again Jesus spoke to them,
saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in
darkness, but will have the light of life.”” (John 8:12, ESV)
Father,
today we pray for those who walk in darkness – especially the darkness of
sin. Many of these are our friends, our
family, our neighbors. Spiritually it is
the night before Christmas. May the Christ
whom we worship, this Christmas, bring light into their lives and set them free
to worship you. Amen.
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