By Roxane B. Salonen

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” ~ John 1:5

One year, after we tossed our brittle Christmas tree to the curb, I was backing out of the driveway. I noticed something flickering in the sunshine: a golden angel ornament belonging to one of our children hiding in the bristly needles.

My heart jumped. If I hadn’t caught sight of it, she would have been crushed and banished into the darkness of a garbage heap.

Had this happened, and we noticed the missing piece, our sadness would have been temporary. But there’s one Christmas treasure that, if discarded, would be devastating.

We read about it in John 1:4: “What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race.” Are any words more hope-filled?

As a child, I, like others, was terrified of the dark. Even now, as I walk around my cul-de-sac at night, trying to reach my daily steps goal, I can become startled by shadows. We need light to make sense of what’s around us. And in particular, we need His light.

Much about the Christmas season wears out and grows dim, but the gift at the center of our hearts today is meant to last eternally: “God-with-us.” Despite the darkness that engulfs us this time of year, the Light of Lights, whose source is God himself, is as close as our breath.

What darkness threatens you right now? What difficulty or challenge seeks to overtake your peace? Have you opened the gift of God’s light, which is shadow-resistant?

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Don’t throw this gift to the curb. Unwrap it and take time to savor it. Allow the light of Christ, which cannot be overcome, to pervade your being, and commit to keeping it near throughout the year.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I have taken the gift of you for granted too often. Forgive me! Help me today, on this beautiful day, to rejoice in the most exquisitely wrapped gift of all time: your hopeful presence in my heart. May it lead me into and through tomorrow like the most sweetest-smelling candle, never to be snuffed out.

Call to Action:

Praying with a candle can be a wonderful visual reminder of the light of Christ. Commit to searching out a scented candle that lifts your heart that you can bring with you into prayer. As it flickers, allow yourself to feel the warm, comforting embrace of Jesus Christ, the best Christmas gift ever.

© 2024 WINE — All Rights Reserved