Have You Seen This Light?
“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan — The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”
Isaiah 9:1-2 (NIV)
Some seven hundred years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah described a time of great distress, a world filled with gloom and darkness. But in the same breath, he offered hope! A Light that would shine so bright that those living in darkness could see if they would only open their eyes. Here’s what he wrote in Isaiah 9:1-2 (NIV), “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan — The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”
Have you seen that light? It promises no more gloom for those living in distress. Maybe you’ve been living in deep darkness, you’re in a dark place in your life right now. Isaiah promises that there is FREEDOM in the LIGHT!
Whether your distress was caused by disease, death, economic loss, or poor choices, Isaiah predicted a time when there would be no more gloom! He foretold of a coming Redeemer who would bring the dawn of a new day with hope and light for those living in a land of deep darkness. That light dawned on Christmas morning in Bethlehem! Jesus Christ came to be The Light of the World! He brought hope for those whose lives had been filled with gloom. Matthew recorded the fulfillment of this prophecy in Matthew 4:13-16 (NIV), where he writes, “Leaving Nazareth, He (Jesus) went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.’”
Those geographic regions of Zebulun and Naphtali were especially devastated by the Assyrians when the 10 Northern tribes of Israel ultimately fell to Assyria in 722 BC. But Isaiah says that these areas would be greatly honored by the ministry of the coming Messiah! Jesus was later identified with Galilee of the Gentiles, and His earthly ministry brought light and hope to those who lived in the land of the shadow of death. That light continues to shine today in our hearts when we put our faith in Jesus as our Savior from sin. He lifts us from our gloom and darkness and gives us eternal life and joy! Even when we experience the troubles of this world, we find peace in knowing that Jesus will lead us safely through them! John said, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” John 1:4 (NIV) Have you seen that light?
In John 1:9, the Bible says Jesus is “the true light” who came into the world to “give light to everyone.” In verse 5 (NLT), the Bible says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” The New International Version says, “… the darkness has not overcome it.” An earlier version says, “… the darkness has not understood it.”
Not even death could extinguish His light! This is the miracle of Easter! It is the power of the resurrection, and that power is available to you and me today! The apostle Paul prayed that we would experience the power of His light in our lives in Ephesians 1:19-20 (TLB). Why not make this your prayer today? It will lift you from the gloom of this world and fill your life with light, hope, joy, and peace!
“I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great His power is to help those who believe Him. It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead ….”
This prayer is based on the promise of Romans 8:11 (NLT), “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” When the life of Christ moves in, He turns on the light.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.