Christmas Lights

In a few days, we will celebrate Christmas, the birth of a king and our savior. The whole month is full of more activities than we could want. I say I will enjoy the season more and stress less every year. Reflecting on this December, I have made some inroads toward my goal but still need to accomplish it fully this year. I begin my Christmas season by putting up the Christmas tree and decorating my house the weekend after Thanksgiving. Then, the bustle of shopping for gifts begins.

Along with gift buying, more and more activities enter my life. Added to shopping for gifts is cleaning and food preparation for entertaining friends. As the month goes on, I get more and more stressed. After I buy all the gifts, the wrapping of said gifts begins. I keep track of the days in December by a checklist. As I accomplish one activity, I cross it off and move on to the next scheduled event—more planning and stress than joy of the season.

Recently, I was at Bible Study, and we were studying the book of Jude. As we were reading verses 12-13, I thought of lighthouses. Verse 13 says, “They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.” Jude is talking about people who have infiltrated the church and brought darkness and deceit with them into the church. Thinking about wild waves crashing over rocks made me wonder why lighthouses were crucial to sailors as they navigated waterways to reach their destinations safely. There were many perils as the sea captains crossed the oceans and got close to shore.

Many hidden dangers, reefs, and other barriers were almost impossible for the captain to see, let alone under the dark sky. At times, lighthouses needed to guide ships in and out of harbors. Christ also does this for us. If we rely upon Jesus and seek his light, we can safely navigate the comings and goings of each day. Christ stands as a watchguard for us, shining his light on the hidden dangers that threaten to destroy us if we get too close to them. Without his light, we would be living in spiritual darkness. I thought about my life. What hidden reefs, dangers, and other barriers am I oblivious to as I navigate life? How will I make it safely on my journey without the light of Christ guiding and protecting me? I don’t know all the times I have been led away from danger, but I know that Jesus is watching out for me and over me.

Another example of light guiding us is the stars. Sailors would use the stars to know where they were and what direction to head for their destination. How did the wise men find Jesus after his birth? By following the star, God placed over Mary and Joseph and their divine newborn. It is imperative to follow the correct star and light. Jude talked about wandering stars in verse 13. He says that the blackest darkness is forever reserved for them. According to The Bible Knowledge Commentary, we should be wary of following the light of wandering stars. These are like shooting stars, which are beautiful to see but useless for navigation. We must be cautious to follow Christ’s light and not the deceiver’s. One brings peace, security, and freedom. The other brings danger, turmoil, and eternal darkness. The only way to know the true light is to accept Jesus as your savior. He lives inside each born-again believer, bringing light and truth into our daily lives. Don’t be deceived by an illumination imitation.

The custom of putting lights on a tree goes back to the 16^th century when Christians would decorate their trees with candles, representing Christ as the light of the world. Each light represents Christ and his followers as we reflect his spirit inside us. One of our family’s favorite Christmas traditions is to drive around and look at all the pretty Christmas lights. There are many wonderful light displays. As I think about each of the lights, I can’t help but think of Jesus and what he was willing to do for each one of us so that we may live in light and not darkness. We learn early in life that light dispels darkness. As children, we want lights left on at night to keep our fears away. As adults, we want lights on at night so we can see if we need to get up in the middle of the night. Christ provides spiritual light for us. He is the light that keeps our fears away, and he gives us direction through his Holy Spirit when we need to see the path before us. Jesus also wants his followers to be light in the dark world. I remember singing a song as a child about not hiding my light under a bushel. This concept seemed so easy when I was young, but as I got older, it became more challenging to be the light and not hide it. I am working on letting my light shine brightly, but I am a work in progress.

As light appears over the dawn, a new day begins. Hope blossoms with this early morning light for the day’s possibilities and expectations. Christ’s light brings even greater hope into our lives. Because of God’s great love for humanity, he does not leave us in physical darkness or spiritual darkness. He gives us the brilliant sun to see and have direction during the day. Then, at night, when things are dark, possibly discouraging, and overwhelming, God lights up the sky with beautiful, awe-inspiring stars. For years, people used stars to guide them on their journeys. Today, we have technology to guide us, but the stars continue to shine brightly. Tonight, as we gaze upon the night sky, taking in the beauty of God’s light and knowing that his light and love always surround us, we can be filled with joy.

Over 2,000 years ago, a baby was born that changed the world. With the birth of our savior, light, and life came into the world. This life-giving light is available to anyone who calls upon it. The light of Christ stands like a strong tower illuminating our days and nights so that we can avoid pitfalls designed to keep us in darkness and despair. Jesus is the only source of spiritual light.

The Christmas lights will begin to fade in a few weeks. Let’s keep the light of Christ shining brilliantly in our lives as we navigate our communities. The light of Christ can grow even brighter as we, his ambassadors, shine brightly in the darkness that threatens to engulf us and our world. We can stand on the hill and not hide our lives under a bushel to bring light and hope to people who need help staying away from the pitfalls, reefs, and barriers in life.

I pray you have a very Merry Christmas and the light of Christ shines brightly in all your festive activities.