I have the most wonderful wood windows with a tiny ledge in my small sitting room. The sun sets before 5 in the afternoon, and so I light candles to give people passing by a little “Hello, how are you. Here is some light to warm you.” The other day I met a neighbor and they said, “Are you the one who has candles burning for us? It makes me feel happy.”
They are lit during my quiet times in the morning as well, and while the darkness of night is still around. Each morning, my neighbor leaves his house and waves at me through my window.
As a little girl, I loved Christmas lights. I would walk out in the neighborhood with my little dachshund named “Happy” and breathe in the beautiful, colorful lights. We lived out in the country in a tiny little subdivision and everyone prided themselves in their lights. Some red, some blue, red and green, all colors, and all white. The lights left an impression in my little girl heart of magical-mystical possibilities, a world where fairy tales could come true, where hopes did not disappoint.
Created by God to be image driven human beings, since almost everything around us is perceived with our eyes, how important it is that we give our children images that live on in their hearts. When my children were small, we spoke of Jesus as the light coming into a dark world, but we also wanted them to have images that would live in their memory forever.
Each year at Shepherd’s meals, we turned off all the lights in the house and lit many candles. We told the story of the people who lived in darkness, have seen a great light. The magical effect We were made to be image keepers.
We can make a difference by creating images of beauty, purpose and life-giving. Children, especially, respond to these sacred common pictures left in the pathways of their minds and hearts. What could you do to create light-giving images in your home today?
Darkness seems to threaten so many sacred places in our times. Marriage is being attacked. Children are not valued. The battle rages. Yet, we have a conquerer, a warrior on our side, one who has already won victory. He is with us. We may champion alongside Him and sing His praises as we watch Him bring a rousing victory.
We are agents of His grace and light and have the privilege one time on this earth to sing and teach and tell of His ways and light until the victory dinner when we see Him face to face.
Just a prayer, a few verses and thoughts that spoke to me in my quiet time today:
Come swiftly, O Lord, to the dark moments when we are lost. Make us aware of Thy presence.
Strengthen us to resist the urges and pulls to deeper darkness. Stir us to move away from the dark moments of sinful selfishness, despair or worry toward the light of thy love, grace and forgiveness. Verses that my children discussed and memorized have spoken to them during their years so that the lights, the comfort has always spoken to their hearts when they needed it.
Come quickly, O Lord, as we call--or forget to call--and keep Thous close to us and keep us close to Thee this day and night and as far as the days and nights stretch before us, and we see you face to face, through Jesus Christ. Amen
James Kennedy, Holy Island
"If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light will be night," Even the darkness is not dark to thee, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to thee." Psalm 139: 11-12
"I am the light of the world. In me is no darkness at all."
And the people who were living in darkness have seen a great light.
Let your light so shine amongst men that they may see my glory.
Jesus
May our lights show forth today and may we walk in the light of His counsel.
Peace and grace to you today.