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A Great Light in a "Dreadful Darkness"

Eight days for Christmas. The frenzy is all around me - the malls are packed, the music blaring and lights glowing. As the song goes, "It's the most wonderful time of the year" and I absolutely love it. But strangely, these days I am thinking a lot of 2 words that I read in Genesis 15:12 "dreadful darkness." This is the chapter in the Bible that describes the covenant that God made with Abram.The sun was setting and Abram fell into a deep sleep we are told, and then a "dreadful darkness came over him."
Dictionary.com describes darkness as : "state or quality of having little or no light, wickedness or evil, obscurity: concealment, lack of knowledge or entitlement."
What was so dreadful about this darkness? Was the darkness essential for Abram to hear God speak?
Is it only in the dreadful darkness of our lives that we can see the flaming torch of His Light?
What is your dreadful darkness as you approach this season of light? I know what mine is: the empty chair at Christmas. The one less gift that I have to buy and wrap.
What is yours? The long wait for a job, for a child or for a partner? Are you facing the prospect of a breaking marriage? A child lost to addictions? Are you grieving the loss of a loved one?
How about the dreadful darkness of this past week's shootings?
As I read on in the chapter, I am so comforted that it was in this time of darkness that God spoke to Abram. He gave him the covenant for eternity. And God kept His promise.
I encourage you to hold on to His promises - no matter how dark or dreadful the circumstance, God will speak to you and He will keep His promises forever.
His biggest promise to us- the coming of Jesus was predicted all through the Old Testament. The prophet Isaiah tell us in Chapter 9:2  "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light"
Have you seen this Light? I urge you if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour to seriously consider His claims of being the "only way to God" All roads do not lead to God - there is only one way that leads to Him - Jesus Christ. He is after all the reason for the season, cliche or no!





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