[Zechariah said:] “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. Because of the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1:76-79

Today, December 21st is the Winter Solstice, the official beginning of Winter, and the darkest day of the year. It is a traditional time for congregations to offer a “Blue Christmas” Worship Service, a service especially for those who find this season less than joyful. This devotion is my way of honoring that tradition.

There can be a variety of reasons for feeling blue this time of year, but often it involves some measure of grief – a deep sorrow brought on by some type of loss. We all experience losses in life, and so we all experience grief, which is why I thought I would touch on this theme tonight. And what a beautiful verse to guide us through this that Zechariah offers to us tonight: 

“Because of the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The dawn from on high that Zechariah speaks of, or sings of, is the coming of the Savior. Zechariah’s newborn son, John, was chosen to prepare the way, and we continue to honor John the Baptist to this day. But his role was only to prepare the way for Jesus, and then to step out of the light. Jesus was the true light, who was coming into the world, the light that no darkness can overcome. 

No sorrow is too great, no darkness too deep, no grief too overwhelming, because God’s tender mercy is found in the gift of Jesus. He is the dawn from on high that breaks upon us, and that shines on all who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. 

When we hear those particular words, “the shadow of death,” we probably think of Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” 

God is with us. That is his promise. And it is why Jesus is also named “Emmanuel,” which simply means “God is with us.” 

When Zechariah sings of the dawn shining on all who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, he is no doubt thinking of the Twenty-third Psalm. And he is probably thinking of the later promise in that same Psalm, that the “goodness and mercy” of the Lord would follow us “all the days of our life.” 

God’s mercy does not start with God’s Son. We are told of this same mercy throughout the Old Testament, too. But God’s mercy is connected to God’s Son. You could even say it is incarnated in God’s Son. Because it is God’s mercy and love that caused God to give us his only son. And it is God’s only son who gives us the most important of all gifts, and the one that causes the light to shine brightly even tonight: The gift of eternal life. 

As Paul puts it, “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-5). 

We are made alive through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are promised eternity. It is the light at the end of the tunnel that shines no matter how dark the tunnel now seems, And that guides our way. Again, those powerful words from Zechariah: 

“Because of the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

This light guides our feet into the way of peace. It leads us beside still waters. It restores our soul. It offers us peace, even in the midst of our grief. And it is all because of God’s tender mercy. 

So think of this devotion as a reminder of this simple, beautiful fact: That our Creator is merciful. The One who created the heavens and the earth is almighty and all-powerful, but is also all-merciful and all-loving. “Because of the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us.” 

God’s tender mercy is the gift that shines on us, this night, and every night. It is the gift that consoles us when we grieve, that offers us hope no matter our circumstance, and that reminds us to trust in Jesus always. He is the one Zechariah blessed. He is the dawn from on high, the light that shines on us even now, and that guides us all into the way of peace. Thanks be to God. Amen.