A New Christmas Tidbit …

I don’t know about you, but I love when something I’ve heard a million times gifts me a new thought or fact or idea!

Christmas is one of those times where I’ve heard the story my whole life and multiple upon multiple times in a plethora of formats. I don’t come to Christmas each year thinking I will gain new insights. I welcome it each year to celebrate the truth of it! A tiny baby born in Bethlehem who teaches us what love looks like in human flesh. A gift from our Heavenly Father  — the greatest gift!

But when a new moment occurs, which doesn’t happen every year; I am blown away by its content and how it relates to me! I’m blown away not because it is the most amazing fact I have ever heard, but because it holds meaning I didn’t see before. It widens and deepens my knowledge and experience. New thoughts enter the celebration for me, and I LOVE that!

So, this year, like most years, I chose an Advent devotional to read each day of December. I try very hard to find challenging ones that might go beyond the normal December advent thoughts and stir my mind to think and contemplate the birth of Jesus.

This year, I chose “Star of Wonder” by Angela Hunt.

I will link it Here.

It has been very interesting and thought-provoking.

I was on Day 4 when this new idea snagged my thoughts. It’s been with me the last 12 days, and I have shared it with several people. That’s what I do when I learn; I tell someone else. So now I’m telling you!

The tidbit I collected …

I’ve often heard God/Jesus described as light. The pillar of light led the children out of Egypt. Moses’ face “shone” after being in God’s presence. The shepherds saw a great light surrounding the heavenly hosts announcing Jesus’ birth. Even a “bright light/star” led the Wisemen.

The Bible defines God’s light as “Shekinah” … the glory of God, shining.

Angela Hunt goes into lots more explanation; this is a quick summation.

Here is a snippet of Angela’s words that hit me …

“Legend credits Martin Luther with lighting the first Christmas tree with candles to show his children how beautiful the stars were when glimpsed from the forest at nighttime. But perhaps the best use of Christmas lights is to remind us of the Shekinah glory, the light that came to expel darkness from the human heart.”

Bingo, my mind exploded!

All the lights at Christmas point us to the origin of light … the glory of God!

All the lights in every house, every tree, every window, every store, every Christmas scene point our thoughts and minds to God’s light, his presence on earth, his presence with me. It resembles Him, part of Him, just like Jesus.

In many depictions of the infant child, a halo is seen above his head. As well as on angels. That ring of light depicts the Shekinah of God. The light he brings and illuminates and dispenses. It is the best artists have been able to capture of the holiness and visible attributes of God. 

So as you view your tree or someone else’s lights this year, let those Christmas lights speak to you, remind you of God’s holiness and presence. Next year as you attempt to untangle a year’s worth of mess, remember what those lights symbolize.

And as happened this year, when taking our lights out of boxes more then half of them had died in our move; we quickly ran to get more! The reason makes perfect sense…

Where would Christmas be without God’s light visible on earth?

Think of all of the ramifications if God hadn’t allowed his light to be visible in all the places it is mentioned in the Bible. If being with Him didn’t make a difference. If Jesus hadn’t embodied his light.

LET. THERE. BE. LIGHT. THIS. SEASON.

THE. LIGHT. HAS. COME.

My Christmas lights just. are. not. the same since I read this!

Every Christmas light I see, whether people mean to or not, speak differently to my spirit; they represent God’s light on earth, His attribute.

The Stars Are Brightly Shining,

A wonderful book, a true account of God’s actions in earth!

Great gift! Click Here!