“There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” John 1:9 NAS

In the fullness of time…God sent His son into the world. This is a verse that Christians often equate with the Christmas season. But this verse is PREGNANT with the plan, the purpose and the will of God. The word “time” in this verse is the Greek word: Kairos. The Kairos time marker is an event when eternity crosses over the timeline of the temporal…and forever changes the temporal from that moment forward. History. Changed. Boom.

A little over 2,000 years ago, Jesus was born. He was born at exactly the right time in history for His powerful message of reconciliation and love to be able to go out all most of the world. Three hundred and some years before Christ was born, Alexander the Great arose and conquered kingdom after kingdom. He marched and conquered over 22,000 miles, from Greek to India. In those places, he established Greek culture, and, more importantly a single language. For the first time in history, people living in diverse places and kingdoms were able to communicate by reading, writing and speaking a common language: Greek. Greek is the language of the New Testament.

Around 200 years before the birth of Christ, the Roman began to expand and in fact took over vast parts of the Greek empire through a series of wars. By the time that star shone brightly over a lowly stable in Bethlehem, there was a network of a thousand or more roads and highways crisscrossing over most of the known world for the first time in history. A single, Roman government and the rule of law was established in all those places that guaranteed safe passage to travelers.

In that moment, that Kairos moment, God said: Now! Boom. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. The Light of all Lights came into the darkness…to light the heart of EVERY man. Not just certain people. Not just certain places. But His light, His marvelous light penetrating the darkest corners of the earth. And even today, that Light shines even brighter still.

This Christmas season I am mindful of Jesus coming into our worlds. Into our darkness, to illuminate us to truth and wisdom. And, most of all, He became the Way for man to have peace with God.

Jesus is the Light of the World, and in Him, we carry His light to the nations.

~ Debbie Ecker