I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

Isaiah 42:6-7

Last week, we took the necessary time to declutter our hearts. Over the next couple weeks, we are going to let scripture encourage us to walk through whatever present darkness we are facing with the faith that stands upon what God has done in the past.

This year has been long. For many it has held heartache after heartache. We can ask God to help us walk through the unknowns of today holding onto the knowns of yesterday.

This beautiful promise of the coming Messiah foretells of the ministry of Christ and what He would accomplish for His people. Jesus would come as a living covenant–our promise maker and promise keeper—the Light, Healer and Deliverer of those who were waiting…for so long, just waiting. It doesn’t take much of our imagination to think of how weary God’s people must have been. Prophet after prophet, promise after promise, prophecy after prophecy, and their job was to wait and trust that God would be faithful to what He promised, however grim the trajectory of their circumstances seemed.

C.H. Spurgeon said, “To trust God in the light that is nothing, but trust God in the dark—that is faith.”

What happens within us when left in the dark? We are tempted to despair, to impatiently control, give into fits of anger and shut down. We latch onto the little we can see and cozy up to it. We find security in what we can hold onto, however small it is. Most commonly, we are tempted to doubt the goodness of God and His timing. Reflecting upon the questions that must have arisen in the Israelites hearts as they waited to see God’s promises come to fruition can help us truly understand how glorious the incarnation of Christ was and the vibrancy of His light that shone in the darkness.

“Why have we waited so long?“

“Will we ever see this promise fulfilled?”

“Have we trusted in the right God?”

“Why is God so silent?”

“Are all the stories our relatives told us really true?”

“When will we see the Lord?”

“Can we trust His word?”

“When will redemption come?”

The goal this week is to meditate upon the state of God’s people before Jesus came and find hope that you have been afforded the privilege to live on this side of redemption. Whatever darkness you or someone you love is enduring, seek to find hope in this:

We can walk through the unknowns of today trusting in the knowns of yesterday; we are positioned in the Light and darkness cannot overcome it.

We sing it every year, most often as routine.

“Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared, and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn”

We must learn to thank the Lord for our dark days because out of the darkness the brightness of light is seen for what it is worth.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them light has shined.” -Isaiah 9:2

• Read Isaiah 9:1-7. Consider writing down one verse that you can rejoice in this week. Share it with someone else who is walking in a season of darkness and encourage them to look to Christ as their Light.