Light Broke In...

 On the longest flight in the world (literally) from Atlanta to Johannesburg, they try to convince us it is night the whole 17 hours.  We leave in the dark, and all of the windows are closed.  But the truth is, that the sun rises less than half way through the flight, but we don't know that because the windows stay closed. 

Yet, inevitably on every flight, there is the first curious person to crack up the window, revealing the light that is bright enough to light up an entire section of a plane.  The last time I flew this flight, there was a kid who continuously wanted to open the window every few hours.  But the thing that caught my attention, was the 50 something year old guy who was mesmerized by it every time the kid opened the window.  He sat all the way across the plane, a few rows in front of the kid, but every time the window even cracked & the light streamed in, this man was immediately on his feet searching to see if he could see anything out the window.  

As I reflected on the different people's reactions to the light in the plane, I realized there were three different types of people.  There were the ones (like the child and the man) who couldn't wait for the next chance that the light would break into the darkness so that they could enjoy it & see what they could see.  And there were those people who were absolutely against opening any window and wanted it as dark as possible.  You could hear their sighs of frustration as the windows were cracked open & they repositioned themselves & their pillows to cover their eyes and continue sleeping.  And the third type of the people were those who were ambivalent, not caring at all whether the windows were open or closed.

It's obvious, the comparison to the spiritual reality around us.  God used the metaphor of light and darkness all throughout the Bible to teach us spiritual truths from concrete lessons around us.  But it has hit me at a new level as I live in a spiritually dark area, where not a lot of Light has broken through.  

Yet that is the prayer that God keeps putting on my heart this year for Nsoko.  As I walked through the Christmas season...of the Light of the world breaking into the darkness of this world in a dirty stable.  And now, 2000 years later, we wait again for the Light to break in.  Some in hopeful anticipation, and some ambivalent to even care if Jesus will come back, and those adamantly opposed to anything of the Light. 

Whether we want to admit it or not, whether we are looking forward to it or not, the Light is coming, and dawn will break as He continues His reign on this earth and restores the people to Himself that He purchased on a cross 2000 years ago.  But my prayer for the Swazi people, specifically those of Nsoko this year is that Light would break in...into hard hearts, into hurting hearts, into young, orphaned hearts, into sick & dying hearts, into overburdened hearts, into impoverished hearts.

All This Glory
(David Crowder Band)

In the middle of our mess, there is Majesty.

In the middle of our chest, is the King of Kings.

While the world was waiting on a change to come along...

LIGHT BROKE IN...

coming like a song.

All this glory, all this glory, all this glory.

In the middle of the night all this light.

In the middle of the night You are Majesty.

To the middle of our plight came the King of Kings.

While we were waiting on Your love to come along...

LIGHT BROKE IN...

coming like a song.

In the middle of the night after all this quiet.

Jesus, God with us, Jesus Christ has come...

and I'm undone.