How do You Respond to the Light?

Today is the day that tradition designates as the Epiphany, when we celebrate the wise men from the East who came to visit young Jesus and bring Him precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  At church, yesterday, our Pastor talked about how the Magi followed the light to encounter the Light, and how there are different reactions to facing the Light.  I couldn't quote the exact list of reactions that he mentioned, but I remember that there are two kinds:  positive and negative ones.

The Magi displayed the most positive of reactions:  worship.  That was the reason for their quest, to find the Light of the World and worship Him.

King Herod showed the most negative of reactions:  rejection.  He rejected even the idea of the Light entering the world, so his quest was to find it so he could extinguish it.

Our Pastor ended his sermon with a poignant question for the congregation:  How do you respond to the Light? 

I've been trying to process this question to be able to formulate an honest answer, but I'm still not sure.  I know I hate darkness.  I'm afraid of it.  I don't want to be in it.  I avoid it.  But I also know that there have been instances when I have fallen into the darkness for a period of time, and when the light finally comes...I don't like what I see.  It's kind of like when we've had a sequence of dark, grey, dreary days, then, all of the sudden, out of nowhere, sunshine peeks through the clouds just to reveal all the dust and neglect the darkness had hidden ... and I get angry and bummed out that I have to clean up.  The same way... I don't like the light shining on the ugliness in my life.  I don't like how the light reveals what darkness had covered.

Sigh...

In those moments, I reject the Light.  Not much unlike Herod, I want to extinguish it...

The good news is, the Light has a way of claiming what it's His own.

Despite my desire to stay in the darkness...the Light is way too powerful.  One spark is enough to cut through.  And even though, what it reveals may be shocking and disgusting, the Light has a way to making it new.  By exposing it, the Light commands us to stop the neglect.  Light cannot stop shining.  It is eternal and it restores everything it touches...even the most wretched of those who belong to Him.

How do I respond to the Light?  With humble adoration, face down on the ground, praying for forgiveness.

May we never walk away from the Light, regardless of what it shows.  Amen!