Will You Come and See the Light? -
John 1:1-5, NIV - 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.
Today, I bring to you a song that I had not heard before
today (the day I am writing this). I was
searching for an Epiphany song and came across this one. I was
moved by the lyrics and touched by the beautiful voices that sang the version
linked below. I cannot find the story
behind the song, so my encouragement today is to meditate on the words. Each verse ends with the piercing question, “will
you hide, or decide to meet the light?” The
brilliance of the lyricist is that question takes on a different angle based on
the verse. Spend some time with this
question today, reflecting on the ways that we often decide to hide from spiritual
insight/light because deciding to “meet” the light would force us to confront something
unpleasant about ourselves or the world in which we live. The focus of Epiphany is to engage in this
difficult struggle. It is to move from the sentimentality of the “sweet little
Jesus boy” to consider how we will live because He was born. Jesus is God with us in the flesh! So what
now? How will we respond to this
incredible event? Engage with this
struggle this week of Epiphany.
Will you come and see the light from the stable door?
It is shining
newly bright, though it shone before.
It will be your
guiding star, it will show you who you are.
Will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Will you step into the light that can free the slave?
It will stand for
what is right, it will heal and save.
By the pyramids of
greed there's a longing to be freed.
Will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Will you tell about the light in the prison cell?
Though it's
shackled out of sight, it is shining well.
When the truth is
cut and bruised, and the innocent abused,
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Will you join the hope, alight in a young girl's eyes,
of the mighty put
to flight by a baby's cries?
When the lowest
and the least are the foremost at the feast,
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Will you travel by the light of the babe new born?
In the cradle lit
at night there's a gleam of dawn,
and the darkness
all about is too dim to put it out:
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Question: What specifically would deciding to “meet the
light” mean for you right now?
Prayer: God, we
confess that sometimes, we have “loved darkness instead of light” (John 3:19). Pierce the darkness of our hearts and give us
the courage to meet that light instead of hiding from it. Amen.
Prayer Focus: Pray for the biggest challenges of our
country today.
Song: Will You Come and
See the Light? - David Haas, Michael Joncas, Marty
Haugen and Paul A. Tate
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