December Pastor's Pen
“God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him… If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
I John 1:5 & 7
I find the first week of January a sad time of year. Don’t get me wrong, Kathie and I had a nice Christmas even though we were alone. I felt the online Christmas Eve service was very well done and very effective. We spent two days in northern Pennsylvania visiting our grandchildren. And given the medical issue I had in February, I was thankful to the Lord that I was alive and able to celebrate another Christmas.
I do, however, become a little maudlin whenever the Christmas lights come down. I take pleasure in seeing homes brightly lighted and displayed. In fact, at least once during the month of December Kathie and I drive through our neighborhood and around Chambersburg just to look at the lights.
Some people find Christmas lights an unnecessary expenditure of money and resources. But for me, even when the lights and displays are secular, I’m still reminded of something John said in his first letter to the church:
God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him.
Christmas lights, even the secular ones, convey to me the promise and hope that God is in the house! He showed up in that little baby who grew up to take away the sins of the world.
Jesus said we are to let our light shine before people so that they can see what we’re about and give God the glory. He wasn’t talking about colored LED bulbs and inflatable snowmen that inevitably come down when the season is over. We have the Light of the World inside our hearts and no January darkness can overcome (John 1:5). Let there be light, brothers and sisters, and let it be a blessing this brand new year.
Pastor Joel
*Click here to read the rest of the newsletter