December 21st will be the longest night of the year. It is at this time of year that we have the most darkness in our part of the world than in any other time. I write this letter to you from Golden, Colorado where I am doing a wedding for a couple. Without really thinking about the fact that it was the longest night of the year I did happen to look at the weather and see that here in Colorado the sun set at 4:38pm last night. I will be doing the wedding tonight at 7:30pm and the sun will have been set for almost a full 3 hours before we begin the ceremony.
I went to grab dinner at 5:30 last night and I was driving in pretty much full darkness and it was completely dark when I got back to my hotel room. I also saw the beautiful moon that was full on Saturday. It was still pretty full looking and had an enchanting yellowish hue to it.
What was beautiful and fantastic about that moon was that even though it was fully dark outside the moon shed so much light on the landscape that it really didn’t feel too dark for what was the night before the longest night of the year. And will the moon still being so close to full tonight I know that when I drive down the mountain from the wedding that I will be guided by the brightness of the moon.
I am so glad that the moon is nearly full both for my personal comfort of driving at night down a mountain in a part of our country I’ve only just been to for a day, but it also reminds me even more so of the light that we will be celebrating on Friday.
In the dark of the night, we come together to celebrate the light of the world entering into our hearts and lives and remembering that light is always in this world. That is why, I believe, we as Christians love our candlelight service so much. When the lights of the church have been turned off and the candles are lit we can see what just a few candles can do to the darkness…the dark of night is scattered by just a few lights, and that light becomes more powerful the more there are. Just like a full moon (or almost full moon) makes the night seem less difficult to navigate.
The light we celebrate is the light of Christ, Emmanuel – God with us. When we do that we remember the word of the Gospel writer John: (1:5): “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” The opening of John’s gospel always fills me with joy and hope and gives me goosebumps. Jesus is the light for all people so that whoever believes in him will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life (John 8:12). Ephesians 5:8 also reminds us of this: “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light…”
Remember, that no matter how dark or long the nights get that we are a people who live in the light. We have a God who sent God’s one and only son to be the light for us. I pray that amidst the darkness and the difficulty that this season can present for some people, that you remember the light of the world, that you feel the light within you burning brightly, and be with the other children of the light, so that you may be warmed and strengthen on your journey of faith.
I hope to see you all in just a few days for Christmas!
Until then…
Advent Blessings,
Pastor Brian
