The winter solstice occurs on a day in December, close the birth of our youngest child December 22.  In the Northern Hemisphere the date marks the 24-hour period with the fewest daylight hours of the year. That is why it is known as the shortest day of the year, or the longest night of the year. 

What is the winter solstice, you ask?  Glad you asked, I researched a good explanation for us—

• Since the Earth is tilted 23.4 degrees on its axis, the arc the Sun moves through during the day will rise and fall across the year as the Earth’s pole points either towards or away from the Sun. The winter solstice occurs at the minimum point for the Northern Hemisphere, when the Sun is lowest in the sky. 
• At this time, the Earth’s North Pole is pointing away from the Sun (which is why it is so much colder in the Northern Hemisphere). For people living in the Southern Hemisphere, the South Pole is pointing towards the Sun, making it summertime “down under.”
• So, after the shortest day, the days start getting longer and the nights shorter. At the spring and autumnal equinoxes, the day and night hours are around the same length, each lasting around 12 hours. The number of daylight hours peaks at summer solstice.

As of this day in December, the winter solstice has come and gone.  We now can get a glimpse of longer days ahead!  We endure the darkness of shorter days as we look forward to having more hours in a day of the sun shining on us to uplift us with its warmth and glow.  We look forward to the switch because of the tilt of our earth that takes us from less daylight to longer periods of enjoying the light! 

With more hours in the day, what do we humans do?  We plan for more things to do to fill our overscheduled lives as the sun shines!  Sigh.

Jesus tells us that a Day is approaching that we should be even more aware of and watch for with great expectation. We will see signs but we will not know the exact time.  But one thing is certain, for all who believe, there will be a Day when there will be no more dark nights!  Our Light will come from the Son who saved us and is preparing a place for us in eternity.

“There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 22: 5, NLT

Luke 21, The Message

The Day of Reckoning

^20-24 “When you see soldiers camped all around Jerusalem, then you’ll know that she is about to be devastated. If you’re living in Judea at the time, run for the hills. If you’re in the city, get out quickly. If you’re out in the fields, don’t go home to get your coat. This is the Day of Reckoning—everything written about it will come to a head. Pregnant and nursing mothers will have it especially hard. Incredible misery! Torrential rage! People dropping like flies; people dragged off to prisons; Jerusalem under the boot of barbarians until the nations finish what was given them to do.

^25-26 “It will seem like all hell has broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking.

^27-28 “And then—then!—they’ll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style—a glorious welcome! When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!”

^29-33 He told them a story. “Look at a fig tree. Any tree for that matter. When the leaves begin to show, one look tells you that summer is right around the corner. The same here—when you see these things happen, you know God’s kingdom is about here. Don’t brush this off: I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too—these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.

^34-36 “But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.”

^37-38 He spent his days in the Temple teaching, but his nights out on the mountain called Olives. All the people were up at the crack of dawn to come to the Temple and listen to him.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Fact:  Jesus is coming back!

Our Response: 

Look up to God with worship and praise!

Live expectantly and joyfully for the return of Jesus, God’s Son!

Be on guard always.  Why? The enemy attacks believers continually in his meager, limited effort to distract us in our busy lives and deceive us with lies about who God is and who we are in relationship with Him.  The enemy consistently attempts to destroy of faith in Jesus so that when Jesus comes back, we will not recognize Him—but all will recognize the Son when He comes—ready or not!  So, be ready!

Pray constantly for His wisdom and strength. We will not endure without God’s power, wisdom, strength and resolve.

Know that the battle has already been won. Here are but a few scriptures to remind us of Truth—

• He triumphed over them by the cross – Colossians 2:15 When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He disarmed the powers and the authorities and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them and making us victorious in all aspects.
• We fight with weapons to demolish strongholds – 2 Corinthians 10:4 In the spiritual warfare, the weapons we fight with are not of this world. They are spiritual weapons with divine powers to destroy strongholds.
• Protection from the evil one –2 Thessalonians 3:3 From this verse, out of the Lord’s faithfulness, He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. This is a subtle indication that all your battles are already won and the Lord will never leave you at the mercy of the wicked one.
• Nothing will separate us from the love of God – Romans 8:38-39 Not death or life, angels or demons, the present or the past, or any other thing in all creation will ever separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

Don’t miss the message of the last verses of this passage—

Jesus taught Truth by day and prayed by night to God, the Father.  What a lesson Jesus teaches us in this sentence alone!  We can do nothing of significance without God directing us first, guiding us in every word and deed.

As soon as it was light— “at the crack of dawn”—Jesus spoke to listening ears. The Light has come to pierce the darkness with Truth!  People were, and still are, starving for Truth.

Lord,

Thank you for coming to earth to pierce the darkness of mankind. To all who believe, Your Light of Truth saves us and rescues us from dark thinking and destructive behaviors.  I am one of them.  I believe.  I love you back with all my heart, mind, and soul.  Give us wisdom for this day.  I’m listening.  Help me to tell others!

In Jesus Name, Amen