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| Image credit: http://www.drodd.com/images11/ images-of-christmas14.jpg |
(A reflection on the spirit of the season—shared recently with my
friends in the Christian Writers' Fellowship at OMF Literature. Edited for this
blogsite.)
Isaiah 9:2 "The
people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land
of deep darkness a light has dawned."
Have you experienced being in an unfamiliar dark room, where
all you can do is grope? Where the only steps you could take are so tiny because
big ones might make you stumble big-time? Then your ears become so acutely
sensitive like a dog's; your hair bristles in fright; and your blood tsunamies
to the point of cardiac arrest.
Darkness within—a
life apart from Christ—is
scarier! Way frightening!
When did Christ come to your own dark room? Were you just
walking in darkness or were you in deep darkness?
How is it to be in deep darkness? Ask me, I know!
When my life was just about me, myself and moi, bitterness,
anger, resentment and unforgiveness were my daily grind—on top of teeth grinding in my sleep. I
spiralled into periods of despair and hopelessness (without anyone ever noticing
because I was a great pretender). It was utter darkness, where the only way out
seemed to be to escape it all.
But just in time, Jesus came, changed my life of angst and
drama into one joyful and peaceful. Ah, pwede
palang matulog nang mahimbing sa gabi! And my midnight snack could be about
God's goodness instead of my fears—of
death, sickness, failure, financial lack—ad
nauseam!
And so this is Christmas! A simple but powerful and
life-changing message (in Hillsong's "Here I Am to Worship" lyrics):
"Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes, let me see…
King of all days
Oh so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came to the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor."
That's the reason Christian writers write. That's the reason
we sing and live as Christ did—for
blind eyes to sparkle again through the little lights that we've become.
"Let your light so shine before men that they may see our
good works and glorify our Father in heaven," Matthew 5:16.
Lights flood homes and malls and a lot of public places
every Christmastime. OK din naman yun, di
ba, para makulay ang selebrasyon. Para
hindi natin makalimutang mag-shop para
sa inaanak o sa anak.
But the greater (and real) light must not be snuffed out by
the insignificant kumukuti-kutitap lights
around us. Jesus in us should so shine through our lives and our writings that people
would crave what we have. "Iba ka,
bakit ka ganyan? Ganyan ba talaga ang born against?"
What is your story? The story of your ascent from pitch
darkness to light? The earth will become darker, we all know that from prophecy. Statistics tell us that suicides are at
their highest at Christmastime—and
becoming higher especially among millennials.
This is our story: Isaiah 9:6, "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."
That's why we write what we write, so that those who read
our books would experience Christ every day of their lives, in their place of
work, at home, and in spite of challenges.
Lord, may I not miss
the real essence of Christmas. Help me to rise above the clutter of partying
and materialism and indulge instead in your love—your free
gift of grace for all those who would confess Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Usher me into your kingdom of light, where peace and joy abound because of Him
who reigns there, forever.
