In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1:4.

No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. Isaiah 60:18.

In our chapter, 2 Chronicles 6, is the retelling of the dedication of the temple Solomon built. I wonder how those returning from exile in foreign lands heard this history now? When they sin against you – for there is no one who does not sin – and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, “We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly,” and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you. v. 36-39.

A question Solomon asked: But will God really dwell on earth with humans? v. 18.

Is it so difficult to imagine God Himself coming to live on earth with humans? Can we grasp how amazing that truth is? The Creator of all that is choosing to be born of a virgin so He could be among us to show us how much God loves us and to show what trust in God and in His love brings to us…to us personally! Everything Solomon prayed in his prayer before the people has happened over and over again throughout our history. This event happened once for all mankind. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14. His grace and truth and love lights the way for us and it is good and beautiful!

We all of us live in a world darkened by sins that we and others have freely and stubbornly committed. Instead of pointing our fingers at others and their sins, how about if we choose to walk in the light of God’s love? How about if we choose to be led by Him to a better way? A way of communion with God. A personal covenant of love and trust in Him who knows the way out of the darkness of this world into His glorious light. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7. Songs of deliverance from the darkness!

Can you imagine songs of deliverance from the darkness? I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8.

I don’t know about you but I’m so tired of stumbling around in the darkness of my own will and my own understanding. Multiply that by trillions of people wanting their own way and what do we have? The history of this world in all its darkness and ignorance. How is that working for you today? Can you see what that is doing in our world today?

I want God to teach me. I want to walk with Him and learn at His feet what is truly important. I want to praise the light of His love and in that praise watch the darkness recede. I want to know the comfort of His arms holding me. I want to comprehend so great a love for us that He chose to live among us. There is no going back from that truth because He lives with us still! Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5.

God – Father, Son, Spirit – give themselves to us out of their great love to lead us into the light with them that is so good! No one else can show you the way. God’s love lights that way with Him through His love poured into our hearts. Take His hand. He’s here. Always! Turn away from the darkness and let God light your way. Imagine what we will see and learn with Him. We can taste and see His goodness today and one day the light of His love will fill everything and there will be no more darkness or shame for the former things have passed away. Thank You, Lord, for so great and patient a Love.