By Mara-Diana McCollum
The silence is broken by a low moan and a body rocking rhythmically. Candles fill the room with
a soft light. More silence, this time broken by soft whispers.
“How close is she?”
“Close.”
The moaning grows in intensity as the rushes propel the baby down and out, slowly emerging,
eyes closed.
The mom smiles in weary delight, beholding the wonder her body has formed over the last nine
and a half months.
For so long surrounded by the darkness of the womb, the baby opens his eyes and though his
vision is blurry, there is light.
Everyday this reenactment of the very first act of creation happens all over the world.
“Darkness hovered over the earth and God said, ‘let there be light.’”
We see it in –
A baby birthing from the womb
The sun rising every morning filling the sky with light
A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis
A nightlight suddenly lighting up a dark room
But we see it most in God’s beloved Son, “the light of revelation to the Gentiles.” It is His
kingdom to which we are transferred from the Kingdom of Darkness when we come to faith. And
it is His common grace that allows all people to experience His gift of light overcoming darkness
in daily life.
We see it in –
A sister emerging from depression
Neighbors reconciling and forgiving one another
A community coming together to feed displaced hurricane victims
A child helping another child on the playground
When we see these things, we must name them. For to not name them as reminders of God’s
grace to His creation, His light to a dark world, is to miss the great things that God is doing in
our midst every day.
During this season of advent, we are called to look everyday for the triumph of the light over
darkness, to name it, and to remember. Though the days be short and the night long, we will
light our homes with candles to remember God’s hope, love, joy, and peace. And we will light
our hearts with stories of our God overcoming darkness in our lives individually and
communally.
About the Author
Mara-Diana McCollum spends most of her time shepherding a flock of three little boys alongside of her husband. She is passionate about pursuing God and investing in the lives of women around her – both through discipleship and as a birth and postpartum doula. She is always up for a hike, for an adventure, and for drinking tea with friends.