Always in shadows

Luke 1:78 Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's Sunrise will break in upon us,79 Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace.

Death seems to shadow everything. Christmas can be a spotlight to those who are missing and pain laces each light on the Christmas tree. God' sunrise will break on us though, that is what Zachariah said when finally his tongue was loosened. Shining a light on those of us sitting in the shadows of death...showing us a way out, one foot at a time.
Poignant is what Christmas becomes and that is OK because it was that way the first Christmas. Shadows only mean that there is a bright enough light shining...and when we look through that Sunrise..or Son rise, death has to be in shadows. Poignant though is painful...and that is why some Christmas music is so haunting and candles and quiet lights so meaningful. We are left at those times alone with our own longings and our own sorrow. What I like is that the path is not away from pain but into peace. Again, like shadows can't be seen without light, peace is best understood or savored after pain or often right on the path of pain. Peace is not the absence of pain , but on the path through.
There is a caveat though...just like death can't be in shadows unless it is seen through the Sonrise, peace in pain is walking with Someone.
This Christmas, peace is Jesus... I was watching a pageant , one of many I am sure I will see...but what centers me every time in every song and dance is the story of Jesus. He is the peace I so desperately long for this season. I want Him to show me how to walk out on this path to peace: towards Him, with Him, because of Him...that's all.