Carlsbad, New Mexico is in the middle of nowhere. It’s one of those places that, to borrow from a movie script, “is a geographical wonder, it’s two and a half days from everywhere”. Most go there with one destination in mind, Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It is a fascinating cave with a side show of thousands of bats that fly out to feed every sunset, so many that they can be mistaken for smoke from a distance. But what I remember most from my visit and tour of the cave, was deep down in the cavern, in a large room. We tourists were told by the park ranger that we were going to experience total darkness when he switched off the lights. Sure enough, the lights went out and you could not see your hand in front of your face. It was unsettling and gave the feeling of suffocation somehow. We were relieved and for a moment blinded when the switch was thrown and dazzling white light flooded the room. 

Isaiah prophesied that “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-on them the light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2 NRSV). Many Christians believe that this is a prophecy about the coming of Christ into the world. We know a lot more about darkness in our world than about light. If darkness describes not being able to see our way forward, not being able to see others for who they truly are and not being able to see a true reflection of ourselves. We live in a land of deep darkness. Darkness is what many of our novels, music, movies, television shows, video games and social media are filled with for the most part. If a “reality show” does not include conflict, jealousy, revenge or anger, we are likely to change the channel. If a video game does not feature dark imagery and first-person violence, we are not likely to play it. 

The birth of Christ was in the middle of a dark, Judean night in a village named Bethlehem. It was in a dark time of occupation and conflict; the conflict is still there today. Yet those night skies were filled with the dazzling light of the mighty army of God’s angels, proclaiming that God had arrived on earth in the form of a peasant child. The peace they spoke of was not the cessation of war, not yet, but rather the peace we can find and the light we can have when we believe that this child was and is the true Son of God. With the light of Christ shining in us and through us, we can begin to see where we need to go, see others as made in the very image of God and see ourselves as flawed but loved children of God.

So, the next time you see those beautiful lights on houses and streets, pushing back the darkness of these dark December nights, remember that the light of the world has come. He has come to be your light; he has come to show you the way!

(Steve Berger is pastor of First Methodist Church Minden, a Global Methodist Church. He is the husband of Dianne, his partner in ministry, they have two adult sons, a dachshund, and love living in Minden.)