Daily Devotion

“Christmas does not proclaim human progress, but rather God's intervention; it does not mean the world is finally ready to welcome God, but that God has come among us before the world has repented. This is both grace and judgment.”

Karl Barth · Theology

Scripture

John 3:19 This is the condemnation of mankind: that they did not love the light but loved darkness because their deeds were evil, when the light came into the world.

Reflection

Christmas is not a celebration of human progress, but rather God's sudden and proactive intervention. The Gospel of John tells us that the light has come, but the problem is not "not being able to see," but "not wanting to see." We often think that darkness is our environment, our times, or others, but we overlook the fact that darkness may also be a safe haven we deliberately preserve. When the light comes, truth and falsehood, obedience and resistance are immediately revealed. Grace does not make people feel comfortable, but compels them to leave the darkness and face their true selves. Beneath the tranquility of Christmas lies a serious question: When the light comes upon me, do I walk towards the light, or turn back to the darkness?