It’s 
December 24th, 1944. An icy wind blows over the Vistula River in eastern Poland. A small group of German soldiers is camped out in an abandoned farm house.
The Russians outnumber them twelve to one. Behind them wait cruel SS troops, ready to shoot deserters.
Death looms on every side. Despite the cold, its stench pervades the atmosphere.
Gerhard Link is not yet old enough to grow a beard. Forced to serve in Hitler’s war machine, he has seen several comrades fall in battle.
Hunger, fatigue, and fear are his constant companions.
Tonight, he waits for more shells and bombs, more blood-chilling screams from the Russians.
Instead, as dusk falls, the gunfire calms.
Darkness settles in. A few flares light the sky, but artillery fire is sporadic. No bombs fall. Finally, even the machine guns and rifles stop shooting.
An eerie silence hangs in the air. Then, Gerhard hears voices. Russian voices. But this time they are not cursing or screaming.
They are singing Christmas songs, sweet hymns about the birth of the Prince of Peace.
He listens, astonished. His sergeants bite their lips, unsure what to do. The SS men behind them shift nervously, powerless to give orders.
Candles flicker in the distant darkness.
In the middle of hell on earth, the light of hope shines.
That young German soldier was my father. Now eighty-eight, Papa still refers to that Christmas Eve as the most remarkable of his life.
* * * * * * * *
Consider this common objection to faith in Christ:
If there is a God, and he is good, why is there suffering and evil in the world?
It’s a question that has troubled many. I won’t take on answering it in full, but I will quote my friend Dr. Clem Ferris:
“God uses evil as a contrast for good.”
A candle isn’t very noticeable on a sunny June afternoon. But when the bleakness of December closes in, the smallest flame stands out against the night.
Just so, your difficult circumstances provide the contrast and backdrop for Jesus, the Light of the World, to shine most brightly.
“In him was life,and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” — John 1:4,5
Perhaps the holidays are especially difficult for you. Maybe Christmas reminds you of a lost loved one, or a painful divorce, or ravaged finances. Maybe you suffer from winter depression.
Whatever the reason, life looks bleak.
Like an artist, God uses dark circumstances to showcase Christ.
Jesus said:
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33
You have reason to take heart. You have a resource for peace that goes beyond human coping.
The one who has overcome the world. The light of men. The one darkness cannot overpower.
Your suffering is the backdrop for a stunning Savior.
One day, there will be no more darkness, no more gunfire, no more tears. One day, we will understand more of the “why” — or maybe it will be irrelevant in light of Christ’s majesty.
One day we won’t even need the sun, because the Lamb himself will be our light.
So this evening, light a candle. Meditate on Jesus, the Light of the World.
I pray this simple act of worship will cause your hope to be renewed this Christmas.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” — Romans 15:13
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