For every garment soaked in blood...

The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.

Two years ago was our first dark winter. Of course, we had for years already struggled to adapt to the six-hour-long days of our northern latitude. But I had come to the conclusion that the worst time was in the autumn, when you can feel the loss of light each day. How many adjectives can describe the slow, steady, unstoppable orbit of the earth, and the intractable, inexorable tilt away from the sun? When you hear of the dark winters, you imagine the external factors, but the truth is the darkness becomes a part of you, sapping energy and desire. But in my experience, this ended in late November, or maybe early December, when the snow started. That layer of beauty not only kept all those photons ricocheting through the city, but also provided for snowballs and sledding, skiing and skating.

Two years ago, there was no snow. It seems as if we huddled in our cramped apartment, perpetually sleepy, for the weeks of Christmas break. Dark, wet, pavement and low gray skies surrounded and entered in.  

We had been studying Isaiah, and for the first time I really identified with the passages about light! How desperate was I for joy from inside, for the internal light to shine in the darkness.

You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.

Meanwhile, the country where we used to live was becoming a fearsome place. Daily, we followed our friends’ stories of protests and activism. We heard of journalists missing and old-fashioned terror tactics to intimidate ordinary people. So we prayed against oppression, against threats and violence, and for God to shine His light into every dark corner of every city, to expose the injustice that was taking place in the silence.

Later that spring, of course, the slide into disorder took shocking turns. And thousands of people risked their lives to simply stand up, to be present, to do whatever they could. Gangs of outfitted young men were sent out to intimidate. Many people simply filmed, in order to bear witness to the threats and violence that was occurring on their streets. And they prayed, and we prayed, for God’s will to be done, for His Kingdom to come in their country as it is in heaven.

Victory was even more unexpected than the violence had been. For a weekend, we thought He had answered our prayers.

And then, the boots marched in. They threatened and tortured, imprisoned and killed. Shock waves pulsed through my friends’ lives and hit me through streaming video and desperate cries on social media.

There would be no victory. A wound had been opened, and infected. Hopeless years of suffering lay ahead. And the lies, the foundation of falsehood, would not allow the participants to see their own evil. In context of history, this was nothing new. Oppression, violence, starvation and terror had dwelt in this land for almost a century. God had allowed the people of this very land to suffer in the darkness. I had dealt with God allowing tragedy in our lives, but never felt the crush of war. Now, even twice removed, the hopelessness was overwhelming. Struggling to continue to pray for the present, I found the promise of the future to be beautiful.

For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.

Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.

And then, the surprising, familiar words…

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

This promise is both here and not-yet. The kingdom of the mustard seed is growing, the stone from Daniel’s vision is expanding. My culture speaks of the arc of history bending toward justice. I doubt that now, on human terms. But I know that one day, justice will roll down, freedom flow. For now, I can try to continue to pray for those tossed about in the waves, for God to change the hearts of the leaders and every combatant. But I can rest in the knowledge of His zeal and power. Yes, Lord, let it be!

Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.