A Christmas speech written by CCA senior Makayla Daniels.

Darkness.

It devours everything in its path. It is the only solace for the blind and it makes little children run to their parents. It is the monster that terrorizes all. It brings fear, loneliness, and evil. Darkness. It was the first blanket that covered the earth until 4 words were spoken.

Let. There. Be. Light.

Light. It entered the world without a moment’s hesitation or a second thought. Light. It speaks the truth to children about what is in the dark corners. Light when it is shone, darkness can’t help but back away from it. Light. How pure, how refreshing, how necessary. Light, the owner of this earth stolen away by darkness, produced by sin, darkness replaced. Light. Its innocence replaced with darkness’s destruction. Light, gone. And that was the end. This earth that was created for light could not produce it within itself. The darkness had seemingly overcome it-every dream, every promise, every ounce of hope vanished, and every person walking in the darkness utterly lost.

Then one day, when it was most unexpected: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them a light has shone.

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. Isaiah 9:2,6-7

On this very night, the night when a child was born, the light that all thought disappeared manifested itself among all creation. In a tiny insignificant city, light was birthed into the darkness to rescue and reestablish the nations. Light was coming with all its power to release all from the bondage of sin and the law and subject us under its truth .

Jesus Himself, the light had come!

The darkness had thought it had overcome it, but the demons ran as He began to illuminate every corner of the earth. The Pharisees despised Him. His light exposed their legalism. The tax collectors and prostitutes fell at His feet because they knew that His light meant that the darkness had no more room to win in their lives. Light, the one thing we as children want nothing more than to keep on all night long because we fear the monsters. Light, the one thing we hide from now because we feel too guilty in our sin and shame to walk into it.

But I have good news for you-the light did not come into this world through a 14 year old girl 2000 years ago to condemn you. It came to save you. Jesus Himself chose to walk out of the glory of heaven and into the darkness of this earth to give Himself over to the darkness. That little baby who came couldn’t be a Wonderful Counselor or Prince of Peace for us until He conquered what had defeated us time and time again. That little baby one day got up onto a cross and battled for your heart, and He bled and died for your freedom. But He rose 3 days later; our King has released us from our darkness. From every insecurity, pain, shame, and oppression, you are now released in His name. His light came to find you, to grant you significance in this place when you feel none. His light gives you worth. The light, our light, our Savior and King will never stop marching to find you no matter where you are at.

So I challenge you, this Christmas let the light find you where you’re at. Let Jesus come in and change every ounce of your being-let Him become the mighty God and Everlasting Father in your life. Fall at His feet and give yourself to Him because He gave Himself to the darkness for you. The light shines upon us, now we must walk in it. The victory is ours, the darkness has no power to conquer, walk in it every single day.

Let there be light.