Epiphany
January 16, 2017

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4

The people who walked in darkness
   have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
   on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
   you have increased its joy; –Isaiah 9:1-3a

What is darkness? Numerous differing words describe darkness—blackness, gloom, ignorance, wickedness, blindness, secrecy, obscurity, trouble*. At first glance, they hold little in common. Taking them separately, one gets a feeling of lack of direction or meaning with no hope of finding either. It is a bad place to be.

Matthew 4 quotes this Isaiah scripture referring to Jesus. Matthew, in 6:22-23, looks at light and darkness with another illustration, ‘The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! So, what happens to us if the light within us is darkness? What does that mean? What happens when one remains in darkness too long? Does being in darkness result in a false impression of light?

Sometimes we only see what we want to see. For example, we sometimes do not want to take responsibility for our outcomes. We cannot see that our problems are often of our making. The light of Christ can and will help us see our issues for what they are which is the first step to finding direction, meaning, and hope.

Prayer: Lord, shine your light through my darkness helping me find hope and direction. Amen.

*http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/darkness

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.