by Zach Roll

What receiving the light means for us.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”
John 1:9-10 English Standard Version

Advent is such a beautiful and exciting time in the Church year. It is the time in which we observe and practice waiting for Jesus, the Light of the world, to be born. Of course Jesus was born and lived over two thousand years ago. So, why is it important and beneficial to wait for something that has already happened? It is important because we recognize who the light of the world is! We know that the world was made through Jesus. Meaning we recognize Jesus not as the first of God’s creatures but as God’s Son, and being God Himself!

Not only that, but going back thousands of years (all the way back to Genesis), God’s people waited and waited in eager anticipation for the One God would send to redeem his people, and then he came! Born in a manger of all places! The only problem is that most of the people, during that time, failed to recognize that their redeemer had come. God Incarnate walked among his creation. His creation despised him, they did not recognize him, but not all hope is lost.

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 1:12-13 English Standard Version

We know who that baby born in the manger is. We recognize the light of the world, and we receive that light. As we practice waiting for the birth of our God, and Savior, we also wait in eager anticipation of his return. We know that our Redeemer lives, and we celebrate his coming into the world to save his creation while resting in the hope of his return.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO