Light Worth Searching For

It was a brisk February night in rural Iceland. Snow still coated the landscape, muffling the crunch of our tires as we drove into darkness. One of the reasons we’d come, after all, was to try and glimpse that elusive glimmer which reveals itself to only the most determined of travelers. A light show to rival all others, some said. Others used words like wondrous and other-worldly. “Certainly unlike anything man could create,” our Airbnb host had proclaimed. And so we struck out with nothing more than an auroral forecasting app and a full tank of gas, hoping to return counting ourselves among the lucky who have seen the famous Northern Lights.

A long time ago, a few Wise Men sought a mysterious light, too. Their travels spanned hundreds of miles and tough desert terrain. I imagine the light was not always easy to see, and perhaps the direction was not always clear. 

We have all been looking for a light -- the light that promises us direction and purpose. A light that brings hope in the face of uncertainty, despair, and hardship. Our searches sometimes lead to desolate places, where we hold tightly to reports that light has been spotted and will appear if we wait patiently. 

John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." Often, the light of God flashes where we least expect it, radiating a glory that transcends our understanding. This Christmas and always, may we endeavor to see the true Light of Christmas that emerges with love, joy, and peace for those of us willing to seek it -- even if it requires us to venture into cold, unfamiliar places. 

-Chris Crowell