In this darkest season of little daylight, Christmas bursts in with the light of generosity, hope and joy. Whether you’re a person of faith or not, this season challenges us to side with light on the darkest days of the year…If Christmas cheer is hard to muster, I encourage you to look for hope and light. Because it matters. The more of this human race that has joy in the middle of this disaster of the 21st century, the better for us all. We could slog through our Christian life without joy. But choosing not to press in and allow the Spirit to produce that fruit in us a victory for our enemy because it is to deny that Jesus already won the victory even though he has not yet removed his opposition and taken full possession of the land. He has won, is winning and will win the victory though. And he holds out the fruit of joy for us while we, his loyal servants, carry the news of his victory through these occupied lands.

Although advent devotionals often assign week two the theme of peace, this idea stems from the traditional theme of Bethlehem or lighting the “Bethlehem candle” where peace on earth was declared. So in addition to discussing peace this week, I’d like to talk about place. We know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, the City of David, to poorish parents. Last week we discussed the culture he was born into and how the Roman-occupied Jews would have anticipated the coming of their King. But I want to peel back another layer for a moment. We’ll come back to the concept of visible place; let’s chat about the unseen realm.