The day spring from on high. Christ the light of the world

This night is the long night

When those who listen await His cry

This night is the eve of the great nativity

When those who are longing await His appearing

Wait with watchful heart.

Listen carefully through the stillness;

Listen; hear the telling of the waves upon the shore.

Listen hear the song of angels glorious-

Ere long it will be heard

That His foot has reached the earth;

News- that the glory has come!

Truly his salvation is near

For those who fear Him,

And His glory shall dwell in our land.

Watch and pray that the Lord shall come.

Those who are longing await His appearing.

Those who listen await His cry.

Watch….

Wait …..

Listen….

This night is the long night.

Author unknown.

the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
 to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1

It is little wonder that the peoples of the Northern hemisphere would have chosen Dec 25th as the day to celebrate the birth of Christ. Slowly they had watched the light disappearing from the land as the days grew shorter and the nights grew longer. In a time before artificial light the nights would have seemed long and dreary. So the coming of the Winter Solstice and the eager anticipation that in the coming weeks and months, the days would slowly lengthen  and Spring would again come; the time of resurrection and new birth.

Shepherds in the hills above Bethlehem would have eagerly awaited the dawn, the sight of the morning star heralding the end of their long night vigil. One night they experienced more than a bright dawn. They were frightened by the blinding glory of the very presence of seraphs of God heralding a new dawn for all of mankind. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. That uncreated light that spoke into the darkness and blazed forth a cosmos of light was coming as a small baby, to grow up into the man, who would take the whole world's sin upon His shoulders by His death on the cross. However the darkness could not extinguish the light so He blazed back into glorious life, to shine into the life of everyone who accepts Him into their life.

So once again this Christmas, as we light the Christmas candles, let us allow the light of Jesus to shine into our lives, to drive out anything that is dark and hidden . Then we can enter the New Year, enlightened and on fire with all that Jesus wants us to do, to shine His light of love into a sad dark world.