The Light of Advent
"The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world" (John 1:9).
Approaching the Advent season, I look forward to lights everywhere: on trees and houses, candles, flickering fireplaces and starry nights. My husband will say, as he does each year, "We can never have too many lights".
When I was growing up, and into my adult years, we used decorative candles at Christmas but we never burned them. It just wasn't done. They were carefully packed away and brought out, year after year - without any wicks being lit, without a soft glow to grace the scene. I remember unpacking the Christmas candles one year and finding that many were unusable. They had melted in the summer heat, losing their shape. In considering it extravagant to burn (and use up) my candles, I had wasted the opportunity to enjoy and share the gift of light and beauty with others. What an "Aha" moment of the anticipation of candlelight throughout the season.
"It started when God said, ' Light up the darkness !'
and our lives filled up with light, as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful" (II Corinthians 4:6).
May the focus of my anticipation be the face of Christ, and may I be extravagant in sharing the Light of Advent!!
Elaine Burnett
Approaching the Advent season, I look forward to lights everywhere: on trees and houses, candles, flickering fireplaces and starry nights. My husband will say, as he does each year, "We can never have too many lights".
When I was growing up, and into my adult years, we used decorative candles at Christmas but we never burned them. It just wasn't done. They were carefully packed away and brought out, year after year - without any wicks being lit, without a soft glow to grace the scene. I remember unpacking the Christmas candles one year and finding that many were unusable. They had melted in the summer heat, losing their shape. In considering it extravagant to burn (and use up) my candles, I had wasted the opportunity to enjoy and share the gift of light and beauty with others. What an "Aha" moment of the anticipation of candlelight throughout the season.
"It started when God said, ' Light up the darkness !'
and our lives filled up with light, as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful" (II Corinthians 4:6).
May the focus of my anticipation be the face of Christ, and may I be extravagant in sharing the Light of Advent!!
Elaine Burnett
posted by Scott | 11:50 PM
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