Light and Shadow
Isaiah 9:2, 6 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land
Art historian Seymour Slive described the great Dutch artist Rembrandt as the master of light and shadow, a compelling story teller on canvas. Rembrandts painting The Adoration of the Shepherds portrays the darkened stable in Bethlehem where two shepherds kneel beside the manger while other people stand farther away. One man holds a lantern, but the brightest light shines not from the lantern but from the Christ child, illuminating those who have gathered close to Him.
Seven centuries before Jesus birth, Isaiah used an image of light and shadow to foretell the coming of the Savior for Israel. Each person may see a different story in Rembrants painting, but perhaps each of us is represented somewhere in that stable. Are we kneeling in worship, standing back in hesitation, or hiding from the light that has penetrated our darkness?
Christmas invites us to step out of the shadows of darkness and to allow the light of Christ to shine into our hearts. Faith in Christ is not a leap into the dark, it is step into the Light. Read Isaiah 9:1-7. (Copied)
In the Name of the Light of the World and of Heaven,
Pastor Louie