Doesn’t it seem strange, that we celebrate Christmas over the shortest days of the year? When the night is the longest, when we are surrounded by so much darkness? Getting up in the dark and coming home from work in the dark, the winter sun casting us a sideways glance in between seems bittersweet at best. No wonder we make such a big deal out of lights. We fill our houses inside and out with lights. I saw a photo of my sister-in-law and her husband, never shy about drawing attention, embarrassing their kids by wearing ugly, light-up sweaters. How often do we try to cover up dark times with carefully crafted artifice, or fill in darkness with distractions which are only temporary?
I wonder whether we do the same thing in our heads. We put so much expectation around having good things for a season, as if we can just wake up, flip a switch and everything will be peace and joy, that something light and wonderful will just be in the air. Do you know what I mean? Sometimes we treat Christmas like a drug, something you take to make everything seem better for a little while. Except that it doesn’t solve our problems: it doesn’t make your ornery sister go all of sudden sweet; it sure doesn’t make your ex humble and kind; it doesn’t stop us from making choices that are unhealthy for us and hurt others, and it doesn’t take away the grief from losing loved ones. Light a pine-scented candle and forget about it? But when we think about the enormity and the magnitude of the issues we face, personally and across our society, we may still see the miraculous at work. Sometimes, you run up against a person truly transformed from the inside out. So, what is that?
The Bible says:
“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John 1:1-5 NLT)
Sometimes, do you think we are relying on lights that we manufacture, instead of looking for light from God? Artificial lights that don’t reveal or heal, but instead give us a temporary and false sense of security – and then burn out, at best leaving shadows over the deep, dark things in our lives?
On Christmas we celebrate capital “L” LIFE come into the world, as a light that pierces and penetrates the deepest recesses of our hearts, that exposes pride and greed, selfishness and anger, bitterness and grief. In Jesus is a light that heals what is broken and betrayed, light that breathes peace into despair, that breathes love into fear, that breathes life over death. Can I invite you into relationship with one who is Light and Life? Not only would you see the manufactured things of this world for what they are, but maybe you would appreciate them even more for what they are - and what they are not.
Can I invite you, perhaps, to be unsatisfied with adorning everything that’s missing and dark in your soul, and let Jesus re-create it into something full of grace in the light of Truth?
I am praying that you and your families experience peace and joy, restored relationships, and a spirit of compassionate giving with the transforming light of Christ.
reprinted from 2018 Sermonette
Comments