Our Light Has Come

We have a little tradition at my house – on December 1st we are officially “allowed” to start Christmas decorating. The kids count down to when they can pull “Christmas” out of those dusty boxes we’ve had packed away all year and we set up the Christmas tree – loved ornaments are rediscovered and my favourite bit – we get out the christmas lights and all the sparkly pretty things that shine and dance when the light hits them, whimsical and fun and captivating and so lovely to look at – it seems at Christmas we make up for all our cut and dried and down to business during the rest of the year.

What is it about the twinkle of Christmas lights on a tree or a mantle that I love. Our human nature will always draws us towards light and loveliness – but it’s this as well – they slow me in my busyness and lift my eyes towards Him. Those lights and lovelies we string around our homes are a celebration and a reminder of things finer and higher than the world we touch and feel and handle every day – a reminder to us that His light has come to our darkness, that there is Hope when it all seems hopeless, that right in the middle of our unloveliness Jesus loveliness has come. A reminder – – – – –

“to yearn for Him, to remember what it was like to live in darkness and to give thanks to the One who is always shattering the night.” Edie Wadsworth ~ Life in Grace

And then in January we pack it up and put our shiny and sparkly away and our houses get back to being functional and serious and business like again? I’m thinking no – – –

I have a string of christmas lights that hang in my lounge room all year round for no other reason except I like them and they look pretty at night with the light bouncing off the walls. They bring a shine to the most ordinary of week nights and throw a different light on my modest little lounge and they do this – they slow me, and remind me to be thankful for everything Jesus has given me and to enjoy the moment He has given me right now.