Christmas Lights

This year, November 30^th ushers in the Advent Season, a time when we focus on the traditions of Christmas and the “reason for the season,” the birth of Jesus Christ.  Counting down the days until Christmas we often get distracted from its real meaning by the frenzied pace of Christmas preparation; parties to attend, shopping for presents and even church activities can dilute our focus from the true meaning.  So in my pre-Christmas rambling thoughts, the lights of Christmas got me to thinking and here is what fell out of my head this week.

Attempting to describe God is always a struggle with the limitations of language.  One of the most powerful word descriptors for God is found in the Bible.  In these scriptures, God and Christ are often referred to as “light.”  Maybe that is why Christmas lights have become such a big part of our religious as well as our secular Christmas traditions.

Glenmore Mansion in Jefferson City, TN (Dec 2013)

Considering God and Light

·         You cannot see light with your eyes, but only see objects as light reflects off of them.
o       Just as we’ve never seen light,  we have never seen God, but
o       God’s indwelling spirit allows us to reflect Him so that others might see God through us, or that we may see God in others.
·         In the absence of light, darkness surrounds us.
o       People, who live without God, essentially “live in darkness” and are “blind” to life’s real meaning.
o       Even when our faith is weak, somewhat like a small candle in a large dark room, God’s presence pushes the darkness away, creating a circle of light around us.
·         Light is multi-faceted, composed of different wavelengths which when separated by a prism displays the many different colors of the light spectrum.
o       God is like that.  He is multi-faceted and touches each life in a unique way.  He is not limited to any social status, race, color or creed of humanity.
·         Light can only pass through things that are transparent.  Opaque substances block all light.   Depending on the substance, light may transmit as translucent or transparent.
o       Like light, God’s spirit can shine through us as well.
o       Ask yourself, “Does God reveal himself to others through me?”
§         Am I transparent (transmitting a clear image of God),
§         Am I translucent (transmitting a fuzzy image of God), or
§         Am I opaque (transmitting no image of God)?

I John 1:  5-7 (21^st Century King James Version)

5)  This then is the message which we have heard from Him and declare unto you:  that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.  6)  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.  7)  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

II Corinthians 4:4 (New Living Translation)

4)      Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.  They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News.  They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

 

Grand staircase of Glenmore Mansion (Nov 29, 2014)

The season of lights has begun and I am enjoying the lights of Christmas again this year as we decorate our own home and as we drive around our community.  Here’s hoping that the lights of Christmas remind us of Jesus Christ, God’s true light.  Jesus is truly the light of the world.  He can illuminate a dark world or a dark heart, but only if we seek him.

Tree in front room at Glenmore Mansion (Nov. 29, 2014)

Now, let's ramble and enjoy the Christmas Season!