A Light Has Dawned
July 30, 2025
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In July of 2002, nine men found themselves in a dire situation—trapped hundreds of
feet below ground in a flooded mine in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. They were
imprisoned there in the darkness for over 77 hours before being miraculously rescued, a
story that gained widespread media attention and public interest. It’s difficult to fathom
the undulating waves of hope and despair they must have endured in those days spent
huddled within the earth—and the immense joy and relief experienced as they were
finally delivered back into the light.
At times, life’s many hardships leave us feeling trapped in darkness, grappling for hope.
But here is some great news, as it was penned by the prophet Isaiah: “The people
walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2). Jesus is the light that penetrates darkness and
overturns despair. He illuminates our lives with the warmth, clarity, and hope that light
brings. Like those Pennsylvanian coal miners, the stories of those who are in Jesus
don’t end in death and darkness—but in life and victorious light.
Revelation 21:23 foretells the eternal life that awaits those who are saved, describing
the city in which they will dwell. Here’s a glimmer of how that true tale—also one of a
daring rescue—ends: “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the
glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”
Friend, if you find yourself in despair today, then hang on—in Jesus, there is light that
shines in the darkness.
Read, Reflect, Write:
Read Isaiah 9:2. Have you ever felt like you were “in the land of deep darkness? If so,
what was happening in your life during that season?
What are some of the ways that natural light impacts your daily life? How do these
benefits reflect some of the blessings that we receive in Christ?
Read John 1:1-5 and John 16:33. How can the knowledge that the light of Jesus has
overcome darkness impact how you navigate times of trouble?