The Life is the Light

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. John 1:4-5

It must have been hard 2000 years ago to recognize a poor couple's baby as the Light of Deliverance. Sure it was; most people didn't get it. The Jewish people were desperate and scared. They lived in fear of Roman oppression. Yet they missed hope when it appeared. Don't you think it is harder now to distinguish true light? We as Americans are still enjoying so many freedoms. We aren't in need of much, at least it is hard to make out that need under the growing pile of all we have accomplished and acquired. I have to think Christmas in more oppressed cultures must be so different. But even self-denial and deprivation wouldn't do it for us. Because what we are seeking doesn't have anything to do with us or what we can deny ourselves.

I think the above scripture holds the answer. His LIFE is the light. Not the benefits or changes he gives. They are good but they aren't the light. We want to find something that would give us the kind of feeling we get from falling in love, losing 50 lbs. or finding a new job. That is human nature. But acquiring is not the same as receiving. In acquiring, we control when the benefits appear. In receiving, we wait. We wait for an unexplained transformation to appear at an undetermined time. And all too often that just isn't good enough. Hence the rest of the first..."the darkness comprehendeth it not." The simple answer just isn't exciting enough so we pass by it and keep looking. We keep looking for that one thing that will change us, grow us, make us into what we know in our soul we were meant to be. The answer lies IN him. It is his life. And we are invited to live it.

I don't think the Life that is the light is not at all elusive. We just don't get it. What if we chose to cut back our schedule at Christmas and stay home a little more, prioritize family nights, read together and listen to what we have read? I think we'd realize that the Light we are looking for at Christmastime actually lies within a Life.

This is just what comes to my mind when I meditate on John 1:4-5. What does it mean to you?

The 12 Days of Christmas

Today is the third day of Christmas. Traditionally, the 12 days of Christmas begins on December 26th with the Feast of Stephen (a day to commemorate the martyrdom of Stephen). The season ends on January 6th with Epiphany or Three Kings Day. That is why some people keep their decorations up after New Year's Day.

Our family enjoys acknowledging this tradition for several reasons. For one, we are easing our way out of Christmas instead of rejoining the rat race the day after Christmas. This is when we make cookies, finish craft projects we intended to give as gifts, play games and watch movies together, stay in our pajamas for a couple days. It is another opportunity to focus on Christ with scripture readings about His revelation to all people. Most of the Advent scripture reading focuses on Jesus fulfilling Jewish prophecy. Epiphany is the celebration of God revealing Himself to the Gentiles as commemorated by the Kings from the East acknowledging the lordship of Jesus.

So, feel free to leave up your decorations, ponder the significance of Christ's birth a little longer and keep eating Christmas cookies. You have 9 more days!

Reflection on the Shepherd's Candle

Have you noticed that when God shows up, it's usually so understated? And the way He enters the scene is quiet. And the people He chooses to work through are simple. When he is working on my behalf, no one else sees the way he slips into my circumstance. I can be wailing over the trouble at my back door and His Spirit passes through the front door with such subtly that I could miss it. But something, the fragrance, the warmth, something ensures that I turn my attention from what concerns me to what concerns Him.

The Ancient of Days has been trying to turn mankind's attention for centuries. What might it be like if we recognized Him at the first sign of His Presence? Would we not perceive that what concerns Him IS what concerns us? Maybe that is what He had in mind with the display of wonder to the shepherds on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Instead of the military power the general population craved, He lit up the sky for a few ordinary individuals. If God had done it just a little closer to town, hundreds would have seen that display and would have believed the baby born in obscurity was the Son of God. Why show up where so few were gathered? Why not announce the Messiah to someone with more influence, more clout?

I am as ordinary as one of those shepherds. I doubt like Zechariah. I worry about what people think like Joseph. But I also ponder being chosen like Mary. We share these human characteristics with the people we immortalize in the Christmas story. Yet each one was as ordinary as you and I. Each one was chosen as a vessel through which God could reveal Himself to a world longing for rescue. You and I are the vessels of today. It's not likely that people will read about us centuries from now as they gather around lighted candles. But it is likely that a child will see his worth to God because he understood his worth to you. It is likely a little girl will grow up to choose motherhood because of the influence my choice will have on her. A young woman may choose life because the value she sees you place on your own child. A young man may share with those in need because he saw you give sacrificially. A young person may choose their spouse carefully because they want a marriage like yours.

So that is what I see in the flicker of the Shepherd's candle. Ordinary people who are at home in the hands of God, become the fire that ignites passion in someone else.

The Angel's Candle

I am running behind on these Advent posts. But I generally don't have my thoughts formulated til after we have reflected on the week's readings. Week three focuses on the announcements made by the angels. There was the announcement of the end of infertility to Zechariah, the glorious one to Mary, the reassuring one to Joseph and of course the multitude of angels appearing to the shepherds. There's a really great perspective on Zechariah in Watch For the Light. It's the December 13th reading, written by Karl Barth.

Our family discussion this week centered around how our lives announce Christ to the people around us. We are the hands and feet of Jesus to each other, to the children in need with whom we shared our gifts with this year, and everybody inbetween. We reminded each other that we even announce Christ to those we don't know who observe how we treat each other in public. Do we show kindness in our speech and actions? Are we helpful to one another or annoyed by interruptions?

My hope is that we are loving and patient. My desire is that we will portray family life as the treasure it is. May the end result be our tiny group of six announcing to the world that the love of Christ is a tangible thing.

The Second Light of Advent

Preparation. It isn't all that necessary to my modern day survival. If I am not prepared with dinner, I can drive a mile and find a variety of choices to feed my family. If I am not prepared for Christmas, some store will be open at the last minute. Being ill prepared for physical life naturally spills over into how prepared I am in the spiritual realm. However, a quick fix is not so readily available.

The focus of the Bethlehem Candle is preparation. Am I prepared for Christ to show up in my life? Am I in a place to hear Him when he does? Will I notice His power when it is being displayed? Even with ancient prophecies that were widely known, the people of Bethlehem were not ready for the birth of Christ. Jesus showed up in their city unnoticed. Even with that huge, bright star glaring overhead, people went about their daily business with no regard to the truth illuminating their streets. What truth or insight alludes me when I am wrapped up in things that don't really matter?

How marvelous are those times we take notice of what the Creator of the Universe is up to all around us? Isn't it great when God allows truth to illuminate the cracks in our heart? Sometimes we position ourselves to hear him. Sometimes pain and suffering have to run their course for us to recognize God's presence. When it appears our life has fallen apart, His light shines on the scattered pieces He wants to sweep up and piece back together. The end result is a heart more alive and responsive to His grace than what we started with.

Are we prepared for that kind of salvation? Or, like so many 2000 years ago, will we miss God showing up in our lives because it doesn't look like we think it should?

Enter Advent

Advent - preparing for the coming of Christ. This is a simple way to introduce family time into your home.