Advent Devotion: John 1:5
Overcoming Darkness (Part 4)
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The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
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A long, long, time ago (sometime in the 20th century) I heard a story from an old pastor whose first appointment was in a small New England town.
On December 23 there was a fierce snowstorm that knocked out local power. He asked a few folks if they should cancel Christmas Eve service. They chuckled and said, "We'll meet you there, Pastor."
He made his way to the dark church yard and looked at the town below. Dozens and dozens of lights started winding their way up the hill. Everyone was carrying an old oil lantern. They carried them into the sanctuary and hung them on hooks around the room.
The pastor thought, "So THAT'S what those are for!"
After the most beautiful candlelight service ever, the lights made their way out of the sanctuary and back into the world.
And that is what Advent is all about.
The darkness disappears when bring our lights together. The darkness flees when we take our lights into the world. The darkness cannot overcome us.