“For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.”
Colossians 1:13
An advent candle is lit each week before Christmas at many churches to help worshippers anticipate the coming Christmas season.
Lighting the candles reminds us that Jesus, the light of the world, made his appearance on a night so many years ago.
As the night sky lit up that historic night, even shepherds out in the fields saw that the light had come!
As believers, we tend to forget what the appearance of that little light so many Christmases ago did for us.
Just 33 short years after the light came, a significant transaction took place! Jesus made a transfer of sorts – a relocation for us from the kingdom of darkness into his kingdom of light.
Transfers are exciting and sometimes scary, but the new home becomes comfortable over time, and the old yearned for no longer. Years ago, my dad took a transfer from our home in western NY to our new home in upstate NY. I said goodbye to old friends and, over time, hello to new ones. Much learning had to occur, but I settled into our new home once I conquered the new surroundings.
Transferring from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light is much the same way for the believer.
“For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So, live as people of light!”
Ephesians 5:8
As Jesus, fully God and fully man, was born into this dark world, this baby boy wrapped in swaddling clothes changed everything.
Very soon, darkness and death would no longer be the victorious force; now, those living in darkness and gloom could transfer from a kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light- the kingdom of his dear son.
The plan devised long before by a loving father was put into place. A new possibility was in the works for lost and hopelessly confused people!
A life of victory and hope was about to become a reality.
The baby boy lying helplessly in the manger in that cool cave would be the Messiah-the light- the one to save his people from utter darkness.
What does this mean to us?
So very much!
A new nature is now available to us. We can now do what Paul said to do in Ephesians 4; we can now throw off the old sinful nature and the former ways of life and put on the new nature created to be like God- truly righteous and holy. (Ephesians 4:22,24)
Praise God for the light of the world!
Anne Farnum 