If you were to stand in an open field on a cloudy night during the Winter Solstice, December 22nd, the shortest day of the year, it might be so dark you could not see your fingers if you held your hand out in front of your face. It is like that on many days this time of year when the sun sets in the afternoon. But if there suddenly were a break in the clouds ~ the entire darkness would be broken by the light of even a single, tiny star. Even if that star had long burned-out and become dark and cold ~ the light it emitted during its lifetime would continue its journey of thousands of years so as to meet you as you stood in that open field, on a cloudy night, during the Winter Solstice.
Darkness cannot conquer even the faintest sliver of light. Let God be your light. Darkness cannot conquer even the faintest sliver of God. And if, in your darkness, you cannot find your way to God, consider letting Jesus be your guide to the light. And if that doesn’t work for you, let your Higher Power, however you understand that power to be, be your light. And if that too doesn’t work for you, then try to be your own light until the source of light finds its way to you. And no matter what, fear not! Sometimes the star you are following is actually following you.
In whatever form of darkness you may find yourself at this or any time of year, remember that the light is racing toward you at… the speed of light. And when the Merchants of Darkness, in whatever form you find them, surround and encompass you and try to sell you on their vision ~ wait patiently for the light. It is coming to dispel the darkness above, around, below and within you. The darkness of hatred that strives to banish the dawn; the starless terror that infiltrates your sleep; the bad tidings of discomfort and joylessness ~ these need not take hold of your imagination. The Merchants of Darkness cannot win without your active participation.
The Merchants of Light are arriving like an ice cream truck on a sunny, summer day. Hark! I can hear their familiar, exciting tune broadcast to the neighborhood. Children of all ages, hungry for morsels of comfort and joy are racing out of their homes to greet them. Even the darkest and shortest days have no dominion over the light that is growing longer and stronger. Joy to the world! It is time to lighten-up!
Dwight Lee Wolter is the author of many books and pastor of the Congregational Church of Patchogue on Long Island, New York. He blogs at dwightleewolter.com
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