The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:2

For nearly 500 years before the birth of Jesus, God's people experienced a profound silence. The prophets had stopped speaking, and the familiar guidance they had known for millennia seemed to vanish. It was a time of deep darkness and unfulfilled expectations. Yet, in the midst of this historical quiet, a promise was spoken that echoes through the ages: "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light." This great light of Christ came to a people living in the land of deep darkness, assuring us that even in our most disappointing moments, divine hope cannot be extinguished.

We can relate to this feeling of a world that is not as it should be. The Christmas season, with its promises of joy and perfect family gatherings, often leaves us with a sense of disappointment, sadness, and unmet expectations. We want to mend fences and hear from family, but sometimes that just doesn't happen. This feeling is nothing new. The people of Israel felt the same way, and their longing for a Savior was met not by a loud, conquering hero, but by a baby born in quiet obscurity. The birth of Jesus reminds us that God's presence is not contingent on our circumstances or the "success" of the holiday season. The great hope we have is not found in a time of year, but in a person.

This Advent season, we are called to prepare our hearts for the arrival of that great light. This involves an honest acknowledgment of our disappointment and a conscious decision to surrender it to the One who can handle our broken expectations. The light has already dawned. We do not have to walk in darkness because Christ has come. The hope found in Jesus means that our disappointments cannot extinguish the divine light that has already arrived.

Today, identify one way the Christmas season has left you feeling let down and surrender your control over that disappointment to God.

Questions for Reflection

1. How have you personally experienced the tension between the "excitement" and "disappointment" that can come with the Christmas season?

2. What does it mean for you to surrender control over a specific disappointment to God?

3. We have hope because 2,000 years ago a baby was born in a manger. How does knowing that God is with you change the way you approach moments of loneliness or darkness?