Candlelight Devotion - Day 3

O Come O Come Emmanuel

You may have been taught to look for the positive side of everything. Look for the silver lining. Be an optimist. The glass is half full, not half empty. Is the positive side of things different from the redemptive side of things? I think so. Positivity maybe be born of naivety, ignoring the darkness. Darkness could be thought of as ultimate negativity. Sometimes going through the darkness, calling it what it is, and not trying to explain it away, is necessary to get to the redemptive light.

What if I was given an opportunity to move. It would be easy to look at all the good or focus on just the bad. Maybe I could make a list of pros and cons. Regardless of the strategy, would I unknowingly be assuring myself of what I really want to do? Maybe I want to move for more income. Maybe I’m scared to move because I’m comfortable where I am. Will my strategy end up illuminating what I wanted all along? I shouldn’t be surprised if it does. But is there another way to approach the opportunity?

What if I prayed? I mean really prayed. What if I opened my hands, asked God to show me, and waited for an answer, one soaked in truth? Not an answer manipulated by my own optimism or cynicism, but a true answer that only makes sense if received from The One who never manipulates? What if that answer doesn’t come in a day? What if it doesn’t come after a week? Will I be patient, and quiet, and wait? But I promised them I would give an answer soon. They’re counting on me to respond in a timely manner. Do I trust God’s timing? Am I willing to be truthful and say I’m not sure yet?

Have you ever been driving in a storm, or at night in an unfamiliar place, and turned down the radio so you could see better? Or have you told everyone in the car to stop talking with something like, “Be quiet! I can’t see!” It sounds silly, but it’s true. What we really mean is we can’t perceive, concentrate, focus, or receive the information that gives direction of where we should go or what we should do.

Jesus taught about seeing often. When the scriptures were translated into Greek, there were more than 5 different words used that all translate into our English word “see”. The most common word Jesus used is eidon. Among Greek speakers, the objective of using this word in is to convey knowing. It’s not just to see with one’s eyes, but to perceive, to know, to understand, to realize, to comprehend, etc.

How would this change how I could approach a big decision, like considering an opportunity to move? I could pray for Jesus to save me from my desires if they’re keeping me from His Will. I could pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal the things to me that I cannot see through the loud distractions around me. I could pray that I perceive as He perceives, both the light and the darkness, and go where He wants me to go.

In the hush and quiet of this haunting piece, He speaks to all who have eyes to see. He has, he will, and will forever ransom captive Israel. We are all “captive Israel”. Captivity is a dark place. We need to be randsomed from our dark captivity. The dark captivity is sorrowful. It’s lonely. It’s exile. There’s no silver lining here. There might be people squeezing into the crowded pews of Candlelight who feel exiled on an island of loneliness, even in the midst of that full room... Until the Son of God appears!

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. -Isaiah 9:2

Yes Lord Jesus, come quickly into their lives and rescue them. Pull them up from whatever pit they may find themselves in today. Then the Holy Spirit will rejoice in them, and we will all respond with “Rejoice!” Together. All nations. All tribes. All brothers and sisters, united by the blood of Christ, praying for the darkness to be overcome by the peace of Emmanuel! Emmanuel, God with us. Come to us, Savior Jesus. We are Israel, ready to be set free from the captivity that enslaves us.