Upheld In Welcoming the Light of the World

It’s nothing new. Struggling with the glitz of Christmas and what Christmas really means. I can probably see a show of hands over it.

Lights

I must admit, I love the lights of Christmas. I even tool around town with my Mom and sister every year searching out the houses to ooh and ahh at—with cookies and peppermint hot chocolate in hand. That is—when the hand isn’t on the steering wheel, right?

I’m sometimes amazed at the amount of illuminations on a house, or how high the owners had to climb to reach the top of the tree in their front yard. Yet, when we drive by, it looks like a fairy like wonderland.

I just wrapped lighted greenery around my porch this week. It’s not much, but it dresses up my house and looks festive. In fact, it reminds me that every year Christmas allows us to remember Who the Light of the World really is and why He came. He became one of us in order to show us His Father’s love for us and to save us from our sins.

Christmas Trees

Is there anything like a Christmas tree? I’ll bet I am not the only one who loves the magic at dusk when the advancing night is announced, yet the glowing lights of the tree seem to pop! I like to sit for a few minutes then and enjoy the beauty. Yep, with the ever-present Christmas cup of peppermint hot chocolate in hand.

It’s a good time to contemplate that when Jesus came to save us from our sins, He died on a tree at Calvary. For this very purpose He endured the crossbeam, nails and agony. Because He’d made us to enjoy His company forever and He sacrificed His life so that would happen. And then He rose from the dead! Splendor! Glory! Yes—contemplating the Beauty.

Creche

A Nativity scene has always been a major decoration at Christmas. Mine was assembled and hand painted by my Mom and Stepdad many, many (I’m not telling how many!) years ago. I treasure it. As I lovingly set out each piece, I remember that long-ago Christmas story.

A star – a declaration of “good will to men” from great, musical visions in the sky and then one single beam to a stable.

Jesus, a Savior was born to us from the Virgin Mary, and the Royal line of David through His earthly stepfather, Joseph. What must Mary and Joseph have thought then—how does one raise the Son of God to manhood? What did they think of the shepherds who crept to the stable door to see and adore this Baby?

And all these years later, we celebrate Christmas. Let it be with pomp and circumstance! That kind of celebration is due a King, after all!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” John 1:1-5.