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Advent: A Child Shows Us the LightHUDSON, OH (December 22, 2006) - Editor's note: In preparation for the Christmas observance, Covenant Communications is sharing devotionals that originally appeared in local Covenant church newsletters or other publications and are being published here by permission. The following comes from Jon Meyer, senior pastor of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Hudson.By Jon Meyer Since entering pastoral ministry, one of the challenges I have encountered is this: How do I celebrate Christmas when I am completely burned out? Somehow, the joy of the season gets lost amidst the busyness and stress of planning and producing so many events in such a short span of time. I confess that for several years I have come to dread the Christmas season, and in doing so, I have missed out on the meaning behind what we celebrate. This year has been quite different, however, because I’m experiencing Christmas from an entirely different perspective - through the eyes of my four-year old son, Landon. Whenever we drive in our car somewhere, my son points out, in great detail, all of the decorations we pass by. He is fascinated by them. Every day he talks about our Christmas tree and all of the presents underneath. He talks about his grandma and grandpa coming and how excited he is about their visit. And just the other day, he reminded me of a very important fact: Christmas is when the baby Jesus was born. In the hustle and bustle of Christmas, we often lose sight of that fact - I’m guilty, too. It took the innocence of a four-year-old to open my eyes once again to the excitement of this season. Another thing that gets my son very excited is all of the Christmas lights on display. He can’t stop talking about them. And as I stop and think about it, light is what this season is all about. Scripture talks quite a bit about light - and darkness. In his Gospel, John makes it abundantly clear that when we talk about light, we are talking about Jesus Christ. He writes, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it . . . the true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” I think it’s safe to say that we live in dark times. Open a newspaper, turn on your television or go on the Internet and you will be bombarded with news of fear, destruction and death. You will be assaulted with a message of darkness. But the good news of this season, as John reminds us, is that a light has come into the world, a light that was sent to everyone. His name is Jesus Christ. The call to us this Christmas is to share this light with others. Christ said to us, “You are the light of the world. People do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone. Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” My prayer is that each person who reads this will enjoy a blessed Christmas season. I hope all of you will be able to experience Christmas with the joy and exuberance of a four-year-old child. But, I also pray that each one of us will take the spirit of the Christmas message - that of hope and salvation - and incorporate it into our lives each and every day of the year. May God set our hearts aflame with the desire to share this message with all those around us. Editor’s note: To read previously published devotional in this Advent series, please see: • For Some, Christmas Comes at Great Risk • A Christmas Gift Without a Price Tag • Two Branches That Bore a Tree • God’s Timing Not Like Ours Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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