Christmas Hope In The Dark

Growing up in Carolinas, I thought dark winters were rough, but Boston takes it up a notch. On December 21, we’ll get 15 hours of darkness and only 9 hours of daylight.
 
Still, it could be worse. Angle Inlet, Minnesota gets 16 hours of darkness on the longest night of the year. And beyond the U.S., places like Utqiaġvik, Alaska, go 65 days without the sun. But the world champion of darkness is Alert, Canada. It has 135 days with no sun. 135 days! Can you imagine. Boston feels like a dream compared to that.
 
But winter often feels heavy. Just thinking about the short days makes people anxious. No one likes leaving for work in the dark and coming home in the dark. For many, it’s just the “winter blues,” but others face something more severe.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real condition caused by lack of light. I have friends who sit in front of special lamps during the winter just to feel normal. If that’s you, no shame at all, winter darkness is hard and we were made for light.
 
But the truth is, sometimes the darkness inside feels heavier than the darkness outside. Emotional and spiritual darkness can settle in like a long winter night.
 
And that’s exactly where God’s people were when Isaiah wrote one of the most hopeful promises in Scripture: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.”  Isaiah 9:2
 
This week we’re starting our new Advent series: "The Joy of Christmas." We’ll be see that even when darkness overwhelms us, God’s light breaks over the horizon and giving us a joyful hope. See you Sunday!