Light

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

John 1:9

I love the lights at Christmas.  Where I grew up in New York, there would be different neighborhoods we found out about, somehow, that we would drive to see, where several of the houses would be covered in lights.  There would be lights covering the roofs, lining every window, wrapped around every bush and tree.  There would be plastic nativity scenes, reindeer, Santas with their sleighs, carolers, all sorts of characters lit up and covering the front lawn.  When we got to the neighborhood, there would be a line of cars and you’d have to either drive very slowly around to see it from your car, or people would park and get out.  All of these strangers, coming together to look at the beautiful lights. 

Everyone marvels at beautiful light.  Whether it is the strings of lights on houses, the fires in our fireplaces, the small bonfires that people like to sip hot chocolate by and sing carols by, light is always alluring to us as humans.  All of us are longing for the true light of Jesus Christ, who brought light to the darkness of our weary souls.

In the darkness of sin, Jesus is the light of salvation. 

In the darkness of grief, Jesus is the light of hope.

In the darkness of loneliness, Jesus is the light of friendship.

In the darkness of fatherlessness, Jesus is the light of adoption.

In the darkness of exhaustion, Jesus is the light of rest. 

In the darkness of fear, Jesus is the light of peace. 

In the darkness of rejection, Jesus is the light of acceptance. 

In the darkness of hate, Jesus is the light of love. 

In the darkness of death, Jesus is the light of eternal life. 

I love the lights at Christmas because every little twinkling bulb is a testimony to the gift of Jesus coming into the world.   Remember that as you sit and admire your Christmas tree, or drive around and see how people have decorated.  There is light and there is hope, for all of us, through Jesus.