A Reading
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. (Isaiah 9:2)
Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet, and then throw them into the depths of the ocean. (Micah 7:19)
A Thought
We awoke on Monday to a thick blanket of snow. The usual contours of the garden had disappeared, as the drive merged seamlessly with the lawn. The profiles of the cars had been smoothly remoulded. Everything was pure and white.
Even more prominent was the light. Every room was brighter than before, with reflected daylight streaming in from the outside.
The Lamb of God came into the world to save us. He takes our sin, crushes it and throws it into the depths of the ocean. Our imperfections are removed, and we become sinless and holy. We enjoy the light of Jesus in the world, and it no longer seems dark.
But today the snow has gone. Rain has returned. A drab outlook is visible through the windows. Has anything changed?
Jesus’s gift to us is planted inside us, not wrapped around us. The Holy Spirit remains with us to create a loving, caring heart, which will progressively touch the lives of those around us. We will start to shine in the darkness, just like the snowdrops that grow in Helen’s garden, spreading into new areas. Once again, the view becomes a scene of white.
This time the light is not arriving from above. It is now arriving from below.
We do not need to await the return of snow to shine light into the world.
Neither do we need to await the return of Jesus to shine light into the world. The Holy Spirit can generate that light from within us.
A Prayer (Psalm 51:7)
Dear Lord,
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Amen