I Saw the Light!

Did you realize that there are just 26 days until the world acknowledges the birth of Christ? This holiday above all others, brings to light the story of Christ, his parents, and all the circumstances surrounding this event. So I am going to try to give my insight on Christmas and take a look at many different aspects of the story. I hope it gives you a new perspective on Christmas and the true story that has been told for over 2000 years.

The first think I think of when I thing of the Nativity is the prophet, Isaiah. He brought us the good news of the impending birth of Jesus many, many years before anyone could believe it. The words of Isaiah 9:1 - 7 are some of the most beautiful spoken.

1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-

2 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.

3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice
when dividing the plunder.

4 For as in the day of Midian's defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.

5 Every warrior's boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

Of these verses, the sixth one is probably the most known and the favorite. It has the names that Christ will be and can be called. Our minister will be doing a series of sermons about the names of Christ during the month of December.

As a singer, I have done over 30 Christmas cantatas. One of my favorite songs had to do with verse 2. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light." There was a song about this. It makes me wonder how the light was shown to them. Was it the star? Was it just the dawning of some epiphany? Did they know by heart, Isaiah's message from God to them? How did you discover Christ? How did he come to you and you come to him? Sometimes the light just comes on, doesn't it?