LOOK UP

And God said, “Let there be Light,” and there was Light. And God saw the Light was good. And God separated the Light from the darkness. God called the Light day and the darkness he called night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. (Genesis 1:3-5 NASB).

I remember several years ago when I first purchased the land to build a cottage north of Toronto. One night while sitting out on the newly constructed front deck, a friend said, “look up”. We all gazed into the brilliance of the midnight sky. Without any interference or interruption, the magnitude of the starry night was presented. Never had I seen so many brightly lit stars. Every so often a shooting star would create a streak of light across the heavens. If you focused on a particular section, you could identify a circulating satellite. For the astronomer, outlines of various star formations were in plain sight. It was so quiet and peaceful. After many minutes of staring, my friends left, but I stayed. I continued to stare, wondering what was beyond in the far distant galaxy. I was only sure of one thing, that is, the world is bigger than I imagined, and its purpose well established for years to come.

Returning home, I attempted to create the same experience from my backyard. But the effect was not to be repeated. The majesty of the starry sky was lost among the city congestion. We, in the name of invention and progress had crowded out the beauty and brilliance of the heavens above.

Have you ever noticed as people go about their business and move hurriedly among each other while in the congested towns and cities, so many have their heads down, staring at their miniature computers or ears plugged while listening to audio to block out unwelcoming noise? Eye contact must be avoided completely. There is no point to look up because what is there to be seen? Buildings block; pollution hides; crowds demand the art of speed walking and avoidance; skillful negotiation of the sidewalks is an essential prerequisite for city living; bustling traffic hums its own tune; horns are never in sync; and our minds are filled with the stressful challenges of everyday living. We become a clog in the wheel of life simply spinning as fast as we must to keep up sometimes spinning so fast, we lose complete control of everything that is important.

The story is more than 2000 years old and shared repeatedly, every December. A baby was born. There were rumors that he might be in succession to be king. Ohers expected him to be a mighty warrior ultimately freeing the oppressed. Many sought after him. Some to kill and remove a perceived threat, others to pay their respects. But to protect his life, he was hidden, placed in a barn to remain obscure and out of sight. There were some astrologers travelling from afar. They were told to look for a particular star in the east, shining brightly in the heavens. If they found the star and calculated the coordinates correctly, the baby might be found. A prophetic promise of hope, this Light of the world, was discovered in a small town called Bethlehem. His Father expected him to take over the family business of wood working. His Mom had a hunch his calling in life would be peculiar if not unique and his worldly influence would be dramatic. He was called “Immanuel”. Neither thought at the early age of 33, he would be gruesomely murdered without justification. His followers were and are constantly ridiculed, mocked and often killed mercilessly for referring to him as their Lord. But his message of hope, a bright Light in a dark world, could not be snuffed. It remains so to this day.

(Bethlehem is situated on the southern portion in the Judean Mountains. The city is located 73 kilometers northeast of Gaza City and the Mediterranean Sea, 75 kilometers west of Amman, Jordan, 59 kilometers southeast of Tel Aviv, Israel and 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem. bing.com.)

Those seeking the baby found him but only because they first looked up.

What I have discovered and learned is in order to find the beauty, peace, joy and love that a new year promises, it demands I look up. For so many, everyday struggles can become prisons of the mind, body and spirit. These struggles are of course real and are further compounded by extra ordinary events such as the one we are now experiencing. But through it all, our hope is not to be found only or primarily in the promise of people, the short thrill of things obtained or the chase of the elusive, but in the surety of life. It has been said, without hope we perish. That is, we must never lose faith in a life that has been predestined to achieve. We must never lose hope in a future that will bring with it the promise to overcome difficulty. We must never lose the will to live. We must never doubt our worth, our purpose.

Whatever you are facing as we close this year and open the door to the next, look up. Do not let circumstances present nor events yet to come blind or paralyze you. Behind every dark cloud, the sun is still shining. Find a place where you can set aside all the attempts to hide and block what the Light of life is meant to be. Look up with the gifts of expectation, confidence, faith and hope. Our greatest gift is uninhibited hope. Be determined to live life abundantly.

EID, Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza are among many celebrations held during the year. While they may be observed differently both religiously and culturally and at scattered times, one promise that is common among them all is this: Light will overcome darkness.

You may be in a dark place. It may be difficult to see anything promising. But “the Lord is my Light and my salvation. Whom or what should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom or what will I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1 NASB).

Look up and witness the Light of the world overcoming all that is dark.

Be Safe. Be Well. Be Thankful. Never Lose Hope.

Merv Hillier