Light...is it usually so bright?

I get up first in the morning at our house. That has not always been the case but it is now. Even on Saturdays and Sundays I am the first up with one exception, the dog. We now have nicknamed her chicken dog as she tries to go to sleep when the sun goes down and is up to greet the sun at its rise. That means she thinks I should get up too and greet the sun. During the week that is 5:15, it’s still dark at 5:15 but Annie is ready to go and being a beagle sniffs the world. I sometimes think a bomb could go off while she smells the great outdoors and she would not know it. The last few days have included a full moon and with clear skies the “moon shine” is very bright. Now it is not my custom to carry a light with me but when there is a full moon and clear skies reading the paper even with old eyes is not a problem no light needed.

I have recently, like Black Friday, purchased a Smartphone. To tell you why I need one, it took me two days to figure out how to answer a call. I was double tapping the icon on the screen and nothing happened. Turns out I have to tap and drag to answer a call. Yes, it took me two days to figure that out (STOP LAUGHING NOW AND READ). In my defense I have been using the speech to text feature with great success. That feature is cool. I tell you all this for my custom is to carry my phone as a clock. Lately with the cold I have wondered how cold it is so this new phone gets the real time temp from Accuweather® on the face of my phone. The problem is that display is soooo bright when all around me is sooo dark. Even with a full moon looking from the phone to the dark around me, it takes a few seconds until I can see again. Are they usually so bright…the light that is?

Light it brings us hope in a dark room or unfamiliar surroundings. It seems so bright when all around has been so dark. As a Boy Scout we went on a high adventure to Philmont Scout Ranch. As a stop in the trail we went into an abandoned mine. Our guide turned off the light and we were in absolute darkness. No vision because we had no light, I did hold my hand to my face in an attempt, it was dark. Then a single light was on and every eye darted to it taking in its small but brilliant glow. One by one more came on and we were off to another part of the tour. Light captures our sight and our attention away from the darkness.

Earlier in the week I wondered why we decorate our homes with lights. For some so many lights that we spend extra money paying for the electricity to have them on. Thousands and thousands of lights of multiple colors, shapes and sizes outlining the tree, bush, home, shed, car well whatever. It brightens the yard, the neighbor’s yard and half the street and we enjoy it. Light brings hope!

Christmas lights remind us that the season is one filled with hope for all mankind. Lights on our homes brighten the night reminding us of hope that may have faded. But no string or strings of lights can shine as bright as the reason for the season, Jesus. It’s not just his birth to celebrate this Christmas but him, his light, his love and most importantly his hope. Hope that the night in our lives can become the morning of a new day. Hope that the darkness of our existence can be overcome with joy, beauty and brightness. Jesus is the light of the world and for those of us who are followers his light is within us waiting to be revealed, uncovered turned on in a dark tunnel. When you uncover his light, all eyes in a dark world will be drawn to the flicker no matter how small. His glow will illuminate their hearts with light so bright they will be blinded. If they dare look away they will see nothing but the white hot core of the glow, that one light shining brightly in the darkness of their lives.  

Eugene Peterson paraphrased John 1:4-5 this way

“What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out.”

We have a task to shine! Not to shine George, Mark of Sam or Betty but rather to shine only Jesus. His light is life and the darkness cannot put it out! Just like the full moon these last few mornings. It emits no light all of that glow so bright you can read by is reflection of the light of the sun. Christmas is our time to reflect the light of the Son in a dark and dying world. No, it’s not usually that bright but it’s Christmas!

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev