Tuesday, December 6, 2016
CHRISTMAS CANDLES
Christmas is a time for candles-- in windows, on tables, in pictures. Yet, in all the Gospel accounts of Jesus' birth, there is no mention of a candle. What do our candles have to do with Christmas? Well, for many, the candles of Christmas are reminders of passages like John 1:4: "In him was life, and that life was the light of men."
Why do we bother with candles when we have electricity? We flip a switch and have light, but we still like candles. Could it be because of the warmth they convey? They are fragile and make a small spot in the darkness, so people get closer together around them.
Warmth means life. When Elisha was called to the home of the Shunamite woman, her little boy had died. But when Elisha prayed and stretched himself over the boy, the boy became warm again, and then was brought back to life (2 Kings 4).
As we think again of the birth of Jesus, John shows us where all life comes from. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... By Him were all things made ... In Him was life. He is the one who made the difference between stones and living beings. In Washington D.C., presidents give awards to some of the most famous people in many different fields for their many years of labor and their contributions to our society. But there is no award great enough properly to honor the contribution of that Baby of Bethlehem! In Him was life! And this life was the light which the creator put in the eyes of Adam and Eve and all their offspring. This Child is the creator who gave life to all!
