By Paul Alberts
There are many kinds of darkness in the world. Spiritual darkness is associated with unbelievers, wickedness and Satan. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers … what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14 NKJV). “The way of the wicked is like darkness” (Prov. 4:19). When Paul spoke of his conversion, he quoted the Lord: “… To turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18).
Because we are still in the world, we are not yet free from darkness. We give “thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:12-14). However, we find that we “wrestle … against the rulers of the darkness of this age” (Eph. 6:12). We may struggle in our walk personally too, as noted by John: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:6-9). Our behavior impacts our relationship with other believers as well as with God Himself. Therefore, we are strongly encouraged to “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8).
God is light (1 Jn. 1:5), and He is its only source. His light dispels every kind of darkness; and we know it through the Lord Jesus. Simeon, as we read in Luke 2, took the Child Jesus “up in his arms and blessed God and said: ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel’” (vv.28-32). This Child was very special to Simeon; is He – the One who is the Light – special to you?