“The night is far gone; the day is at hand.” Romans 13:12a

Romans 12:13a declares that the night is far gone and the day is at hand. This is a powerful and wonderful promise with great implication for our lives.

Romans 12:13a contrasts two images, nighttime and daytime. It goes on to say that the former, the darkness, is far gone, and that the latter, the Daylight, is at hand. One is gone. The other is before us to embrace and enjoy by faith.

Nighttime is darkness. Darkness is sin. Darkness is death and separation from God. Darkness describes the earth before God spoke life and light into creation. Genesis 1:2 says, “The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the surface of the deep. This same dark, void, and empty condition describes the sinful nature of man in John 3:19: “Mankind loved darkness instead of light.”

But Romans 13:12a declares that the darkness is “far gone.” It is important to trust and believe God’s Word. Satan would convince us that it is still Nighttime and that we are still overcome with Darkness. But this is not true. God’s Word declares that the Daylight is at hand. Jesus is the Daylight who is “at hand.”

In the same way God created light in the darkness (Genesis 1:3), God sends forth His Son, Jesus, to be Light of the World (John 8:12). Jesus shatters darkness (John 1:5). In Christ, darkness, sin, death, and separation from God give way to Jesus’ gracious and eternal presence. Jesus is Light, and in Jesus there is no darkness.

Dear Jesus, thank you for coming to earth, shattering the darkness. Give me true faith to live in your light. In Your Holy Name. Amen.

Contributed by Rev. Jeff Sippy