Dispersing the Darkness

John the Baptist's arrival was quite possibly a welcome sign for Israel after a four-hundred-years-long prophetic drought. If there's no one called to speak for God for several hundred years, then one might think God has moved on or forgotten about His chosen people. But his message, much like his predecessors, was not filled with praise of Israel's faithfulness nor of the promise of a glorious return to Zion; rather, his clarion call was one of preparation, to eliminate any barrier, any distraction from one's life in order to accept the light of salvation that was soon to arrive. "Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight" (John 3:4, NKJV).

John was illuminating the path for his audience, enabling them to see through the darkness of years and years of silence so that they could readily accept the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah. 

Famed painter Vincent van Gogh painted Starry Night Over the Rhodes in 1888 which was inspired by his time in the South of France. It was here where van Gogh developed his signature style and later created his swirling masterpiece Starry Night. While the painting below is not as celebrated as Starry Night, it is no less an important piece to his portfolio. The scene depicts the town's gas lights illuminating the city while the stars above resemble exploding fireworks. Together, the stars and gas lighting fill the darkness with color and beauty. The colors and effect give off a vibrant energy, yet the serene nightscape with the couple in the lower right produces a calm, tranquil quality. 

The scene before us echoes the line from the Christmas hymn “Silent Night”: "All is calm; all is bright." 

During this busy season, calmness is the last thing we may feel. However, much like the illumination within van Gogh's painting, the light of Christ and His advent is meant to illuminate our hearts, to light our way out of whatever darkness we may experience and into His arrival (both in the past and in the future). That is what Advent is all about – the light, signified by the 4 candles in the Advent wreath, slowly disperses the darkness in our souls and hearts, preparing us to encounter the coming of Christ. For us, like those hearing John the Baptist, that means light may come from unexpected places. 

Think about a time when you experienced God's truth or grace from an unexpected place or person. What impact did it have on your life? Did you recognize it at the time or much later? 

May our eyes be open to see and respond to the light of Christ this season.